In the Darkness
by Roeschen
Summary: In a world of terror Ginny is caught by Death Eaters. Her situation seems hopeless, until she meets the son of the Dark Lord...
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** In the Darkness

**Author:** Roeschen

**Summary:** In a world of terror Ginny is caught by Death Eaters. Her situation seems hopeless, until she meets the son of the Dark Lord…

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter but I own my story!

* * *

**Chapter 1**

Ginny snuggled into her seat and gazed out of the window. While the landscape outside flew past, she began to look forward to going home. Though this morning she still had been a bit sad that her fifth school year had come to an end, she hadn't been home since Christmas.

And she had missed her parents and older brothers greatly.

Happy that she would soon see them again, she pictured what things she would do over the summer. As it occurred to her that she would celebrate her sixteenth birthday in a few weeks, she smiled. Perhaps she could even persuade her parents to let her have a small party.

Looking at Luna's trunk that lay beside her on the seats, she wondered where her friend had gone to. It couldn't take so long to return a borrowed book, could it?

The monotonous rattling sound of the train made her tired and Ginny closed her eyes. She was just drifting off to sleep as the train suddenly came to an abrupt halt with screeching wheels.

Jolted rudely out of her dreams, she crashed into the opposite seat and in the arms of Hermione Granger, the girlfriend of her brother Ron.

"Sorry, Hermione," she said and picking up the book Hermione had been reading, she straightened up.

Hermione took the book from her and shook her head.

"Never mind. What happened?"

Ron, who had woken from his slumber, looked out of the window.

Shortly afterwards he cursed,

"Death Eaters! They're attacking the train!"

Ginny stared at Hermione and her brother. In both of their faces she saw the fear she felt. She knew what tortures the Death Eaters inflicted on their victims. They spared no-one. Clutching her wand so tightly that her knuckles turned white, an icy coldness enveloped her.

"What shall we do?" she asked in a trembling voice.

"We could lock the compartment," Ron suggested.

"How? Or do you know a spell that would prevent them from coming inside?" Hermione answered cuttingly and frowned thoughtfully.

"I think the best would be to try to flee from the train," she said after a moment.

As loud screams echoed through the train, they all started. Hermione turned pale. She hesitated briefly, but then opened the door of the compartment and went out. Ron and Ginny followed. They stepped directly into chaos. Immediately they were dragged along by an enormous crowd of people. Among the students panic had broken out. They all wanted to escape the train as soon as possible.

The narrow passage way aggravated the situation additionally. Ginny was separated from her brother and Hermione.

"Ron, Hermione!" she screamed.

Yet it was impossible to follow them. She was not strong enough to push the students who surrounded her away. The last thing she saw of Ron was a glint of red hair. Faintly she heard him bellow her name. Then she was alone in the crowd of hysterical and crying students. Her heart was racing; she had the feeling that she would be crushed to death. Breathing became difficult. Terrified screams rang out and she caught sight of black cloaks. Death Eaters!

In the next instant they were standing only a few metres away from her. The jostling became even worse. Ginny was, however, oblivious of this as she froze.

"Crucio!"

As if it would happen in slow motion, she watched as some were hit by the Unforgivable Curses and fell to the floor. Immediately they disappeared under the feet of their classmates, who attempted to flee from the Death Eaters.

Ginny realized that they were trapped. That all of the students had chosen the corridor to escape, now proved to be a fatal mistake.

"Avada Kedavra!"

The blinding green light missed her by inches. Instead it hit a small girl. With a somehow surprised expression on her face she fell backwards. Ginny wasn't even aware that she was screaming. Her gaze flickered over to the laughing Death Eaters, who obviously enjoyed themselves immensely. Never known fury seized her. The desire to curse them in return was overwhelming. But it was impossible. She had no space to move. Her arms were pressed tightly to her body.

As the Death Eaters raised their wands once more, only one thought flashed through her mind. She had to get out of the train! _She didn't want to die. _

A wave of nausea swept over her. Fear caused her heart to beat so fast that she felt dizzy. With all her might she fought against an approaching faint; she couldn't lose consciousness. Not now. Not if she wanted to survive. More or less trying to maintain her balance, she was dragged along by her classmates.

She tripped over some obstacle, staggered and was pushed in a compartment by someone. While she sank onto the seats, her thoughts were racing. What only was she supposed to do? As she lifted her head, her gaze fell on the window.

_The window!_ Leaping up, she quickly crossed the small compartment. But the window didn't want to open. It was jammed.

Ginny could not believe her bad luck. The thought of her wand caused her to draw new hope, which immediately disappeared as she realized that she wasn't holding her wand in her hand anymore. She must have lost it, she thought stunned. And she didn't even notice.

Casting a look to the door, she knew that it would be virtually suicidal to fling herself back into the tumult. With or without wand, her only chance to leave the train fairly unscathed was the window. Unsuccessfully rattling at the handle, she was on the verge of crying. Why had it to jam just now of all times? Now, when it was so bitterly necessary that she left the train?

"You don't want to escape, do you?"

Ginny whirled around. While the wizard who had spoken stepped forwards, she shrunk back against the window. Greasy hair fell into the Death Eaters' face. He looked her up and down. Lust flared up in his eyes.

No, please no, she thought, as he approached. A desperate attempt to get around him failed miserably. The grip with which he seized her was painful. Ginny struggled as she never before had in her life as he pushed her onto the seats, but she knew that she didn't stand a chance.

"Keep still!" he hissed and Ginny thought that she definitely wouldn't do him this favour. His big, hooked nose came nearer, as a loud voice rang through the train.

"The Order is coming! Apparate immediately!"

Silently, she thanked the unknown shouter. Above her the wizard cursed and hit her hard in the face. Seeing stars for a moment, Ginny tasted blood in her mouth. She hardly registered how he gripped her by the arm. The strange sensation of an apparation caught her unprepared.

* * *

Gazing frantically around, Ron tried to ignore the increasing pain in his arm. Gradually, he suspected that it was broken. At one point he had been pushed hard against the wall of the compartments. Though then he had not felt any pain.

As he had finally stumbled out of the train, he had realized that he had lost Hermione, too. He didn't know how long he already was searching for the girls. And still he had found neither Hermione nor Ginny.

The screams of his classmates, who were running back and forth, the shouts of the members of the Order of the Phoenix, who had arrived by now, pushed him to breaking point. Beside himself with fear, he glared at them furiously, hating them all for arriving far too late.

If something had happened to Hermione or Ginny…

Ron closed his eyes as he remembered. Still he saw the blinding green light, saw his classmates falling to the ground. He gritted his teeth and continued to look around. Everywhere students had assembled themselves into small groups. Many cried and judging by the shouts, he wasn't the only one who had lost someone. Spotting Seamus and Dean he was relieved to see that his friends were alive, yet he didn't pause to go over to them. First he had to find the girls.

"Ron!"

He spun around. And finally he saw her.

"_Hermione!"_

They flew into each other's arms. For a long moment they clung to each other.

"Careful, my arm," Ron managed to say while sharp pain shot through his nerves and black dots danced in front of his eyes.

"Ron, you're hurt! Sit down! Your face is ashen."

"No. I've to find Ginny first. Have you seen her?"

Hermione shook her head.

"She'll be alright, Ron."

Hermione tried to reassure him, yet she couldn't prevent the slight tremble in her voice. She had seen how some students had been killed and though she struggled against even considering it, she knew that Ginny could be among them.

"What if she is…?"

Stopping abruptly, Ron stared at her, his eyes full of despair. Hermione cautiously laid her arms around him. She could only hold him and pray with all her might that Ginny was unhurt.

* * *

Stumbling over her own feet, Ginny would have fallen, if her captor hadn't held her so tightly. Quickly she straightened and tried to keep up with him. His grip was like iron, but any thought of protesting died on her lips. Her eyes were fixed on the castle, wandered over the mighty black walls. The domes of the towers seemed to blaze like fire in the sunlight.

She knew where she was. It was hell on earth. This place was legendary. It was the castle – the most important headquarters – of the Dark Lord. Here he lived together with his son.

The existence of the son was common knowledge, though so far he had never appeared in one of the battles. He was feared even more than the Dark Lord. It was rumoured that he was even more powerful and cruel than his father.

Whether this was true or not, Ginny knew that it hardly mattered. No prisoner who had been taken to the Dark Lord's headquarters had ever left this place again.

Remembering how her parents and older brothers had spoken about that castle, she shuddered. Her parents and brothers save Ron were all members of the Order of the Phoenix and sometimes, when her family had spoken about things concerning the Order, she had secretly listened to it, too.

The real name of the castle was long forgotten; now it was only known as the Castle of Death. The name could not have been more apt. _And she would also die within those walls. _

"Watch it!"

The harsh voice startled her. Struggling against the sudden weakness that nearly would have caused her legs to give way under her, she stifled a sob.

Shortly afterwards they stepped through a gate and went into the castle. Yet they didn't cross the dimly lit hall. The Death Eater turned left. The stony staircase was broad enough that they could walk side by side. Staring into the darkness that awaited her at the bottom of the stairs, Ginny swallowed hard. Reaching a long narrow corridor, she shivered. It was cold in the dungeons. The air was damp.

An agonizing scream caused her to flinch violently. Her captor laughed and quickened his pace. She heard a second scream and then there was silence. An instant later the Death Eater peered into an open cell and asked,

"Did he finally talk, Elaine?"

One of the women present turned around and raised a thin eyebrow.

"Of course he did," she said and added disdainfully,

"In the end they all talk."

Ginny didn't hear a word of the following conversation between the Death Eaters. Frozen to the spot she could not avert her eyes from the wizard lying at their feet. His features were so disfigured that they were not recognizable anymore. Everywhere was blood. How many wounds covered his body was impossible to tell. As Ginny caught sight of a bone sticking out of his knee, she swayed. She would have thrown up there and then, if her captor hadn't chosen just this moment to leave.

Coughing, she fought her nausea. In the meantime the Death Eater opened another cell with a wave of his wand and threw her in. She landed hard on the ground.

"I'll come back later. Then we'll have a bit fun," she heard him say.

The cell door slammed shut and she was alone. She sat up, bent to the side and vomited. As much as she tried, she could neither forget the dead wizard she just had seen nor the memory of the little girl that had been hit with the Killing Curse instead of her. Exhausted she crawled across the cell a while later and leaned against the wall. Still she felt sick. In one corner she spotted a sheaf of straw. Yet seeing that it was more red than yellow, she pressed a hand against her mouth. She closed her eyes and forced herself to take deep, even breaths.

It took long until Ginny opened them again. Save the straw her prison was completely bare. A tiny window provided a bit light.

Drawing her knees up, she slid her arms around them. She was so cold that her teeth clicked together. Tears appeared in her eyes, she began to sob. She could not deny the truth. She knew that it was not a nightmare she would awake from in the morning.

She was alone. No-one would help her. She would never see her family again. Never again would she see the sun, would never again gaze up into the sky. As she remembered the words her captor had said to her, she curled herself in a tight ball.

She knew what she awaited, knew what would happen to her. And her utter helplessness to prevent such fate filled her with boundless dread. Shaking like a leaf, she was not even aware of the tears streaming down her face.

* * *

The pain brought her back to awareness. Gazing down at her hands, Molly Weasley regarded the half-moon shaped impressions her fingernails had left on her palms as if she could not understand how they had got there. She was still sitting in the living room. How much time had passed since Arthur had gently urged her to sit down in the armchair, she didn't know. It seemed so long ago and yet it could not be even an hour.

She had been in the kitchen, preparing the favourite dishes of her two youngest children as Arthur had burst in. She had immediately known that something terrible had happened. He had barely told her that Death Eaters had attacked the Hogwarts Express as she had already apparated.

Together with Arthur she had searched for their children. Desperately shouting their names and simultaneously trying to avoid crashing together with all the people running around, a freezing coldness had risen in her. Ron they had found quickly. Seeing him and Hermione she had been about to hug them as tightly as possible, but Ron, cradling his arm, had quickly stepped backwards.

Awkwardly she had stroked his head, had kissed him. She had had to touch him, had to assure herself that apart from a broken arm he was fine. He had clung to her. At first his words had made no sense to her. Only after a while she had grasped that he couldn't find Ginny.

Had she already known then?

Leaving Ron and Hermione in the care of their older sons who had also arrived by then, Molly and Arthur had continued their search.

They hadn't found Ginny.

In the end they had looked at the dead students. Arthur had wanted to spare her this, but she had shaken her head. She had had to know. As it had became clear that Ginny was not among them, her relief had been so immense that she had sunken to her knees. Her relief had been only short-lived, however. The realization that a Death Eater must have taken Ginny with him had hit her with full force.

Her daughter, her little girl, abducted and in the hands of Voldemort and his followers.

"Molly, the Order will assemble soon. Do you want to come, too?"

She felt his hand on her shoulder.

"Yes, of course," she heard herself say in a voice that didn't seem to belong to her and stood up.

Gazing after his wife, Arthur leaned heavily against the doorframe. Never before in his life had he felt so helpless. And over and over again he asked himself the same question. _Why? _

Why his daughter, why his youngest child? Why her of all people? He loved his sons, of course. Ginny, however, meant the world to him. He had never shown it – at least, he hoped not – but his little daughter he loved most.

"Dad, aren't you feeling well?"

Slowly Arthur turned and saw his oldest son Bill, staring at him with a worried expression.

"How shall I be well, when my daughter is very likely raped and tortured this very moment?" Bill turned ashen and Arthur knew that it hadn't been fair to say this. He regretted his words, but he couldn't bring himself to apologize. His thoughts were elsewhere.

Though he would never admit it, he wished deep in his heart that it had been one of his sons who had been captured.

"I'm ready. We can go now," Molly said as she approached them.

* * *

Alone in his office Albus Dumbledore stepped over to the window and looked up into the sapphire blue sky. Feeling suddenly furious that the sun was still shining, he brusquely spun around and returned to his desk. He sat down and rested his chin in his hands. The grief he felt was unbearable. Again he relived today, saw himself trying to comfort the students and their parents.

They should have expected such a thing, yet not one of them had thought that the train could be attacked as well. He had neither. For their negligence they had paid a high price, a far too high one.

Thirty-two students had been killed and six were missing. But to believe that they would survive in the headquarters of the Dark Lord was a delusion. Albus knew that they were lost. They could not help them.

Staring at his hands, he wondered how he should live with this feeling of guilt weighing down on him. If they only had foreseen it, they could have prevented it. But they had not, he thought, bitterly reproaching himself. They had not been able to protect their students as it had been their duty.

Sighing, he rubbed his forehead. In a few minutes the Order members would arrive. What would he say to those parents who had lost their children? What could you say in such a case? That they were sorry?

Such words would mean little. And yet he had to say something.

Tiredly he leaned back in his chair, feeling every single day of his long life. He was just too old. For over twenty years a merciless war had raged and there was no end in sight. Although he, his Order and those Aurors and Ministry employees, who had joined them after the destruction of the Ministry eight years ago, had always done all that was humanly possible, they hadn't succeeded in giving the Dark Side a decisive blow so far. All their victories had had little effect.

He had lost hope long ago that the war would ever end. Voldemort was just too powerful. And even if they should manage to defeat him as if by a miracle, the war would still not be over. There was still the unsettling fact that the Dark Lord had a son, who would certainly immediately take over. Albus had heard stories about the young Lord just as the countless rumours.

If they were true, no one knew. Even his spy, Severus Snape, hadn't seen him so far. The reason for that was probably that Severus didn't belong to the Dark Lord's Inner Circle. As it seemed so far only the most trusted followers of the Dark Lord had set eyes on him. Severus had only told them that quite a disturbing number of Death Eaters feared the young Lord more than Voldemort himself.

Up to now the young Lord had not appeared in one single battle and had apparently not left the Castle of Death. That he hid himself in the castle was one more mystery that surrounded him. Perhaps Voldemort wanted to protect his son from dangers and had forbidden him to join the fights. That would be at least a plausible explanation, Albus thought and wondered whether there was still any sense left in fighting against the Dark Lord and his followers.

If Severus' reports were indeed reflecting the truth, then the world was lost to the Darkness. How should they only succeed in defeating two powerful enemies?


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

As the first sunrays began to crawl across the dirty ground, Ginny tiredly opened her eyes. Had she even slept at all? The night had seemed to be endless. She had waited that her captor would return, but he hadn't.

Heavily she sat up. This had to have been the worst night she ever had experienced. Fear and the bitter coldness had kept her awake, let alone the words the Death Eater had said to her and whose meaning she hadn't been able to forget.

And each time she had dozed off, it had been only for a brief time. Nightmares had plagued her. She had dreamt of the dead wizard and the blinding green light of the Killing Curse. Again she had been on the train and had seen the little girl that had looked at her reproachfully in her dream.

Gazing into the sunlight that streamed through the tiny window, Ginny flung her arms tightly around herself. She was icy-cold, yet she was glad about the light. At night it had been so dark in her cell that she hadn't even been able to see her own hand in front of her eyes. The silence however had affected her even worse than the impenetrable darkness. The only noises in the cell had been her own. She would never have imagined that her breaths could be so loud.

Ginny stood up and stretched herself. She felt absolutely shattered. Her whole body seemed to hurt. Her arm, where the Death Eater had held her and her neck and cheek hurt the most. Rubbing her arms, she walked around a short distance and tried to warm herself up a bit. Yet it was useless. She was just too cold and much too hungry and thirsty to get warm again.

Pulling her thin cloak tighter around herself, she sat down again. But the coldness, the thirst and hunger wasn't the worst. It was the waiting, the uncertainty what would happen. That the Death Eaters would kill her was as just a terrifying thought as the possibility that they would keep her alive to be used as a toy.

Ginny buried her head into her arms. She was powerless against the tears welling up in her eyes. She could not bear it. The waiting drove her insane. How should she survive a second night if she feared that her captor would enter her cell any minute? She stared at the walls and almost she wished that the door of her cell would open.

She had no strength left to picture what would happen to her and yet she could not cease to think about it. Would he come at all? What, if he would forget about her? If he left her in this cell until her death?

Perhaps this would be the most merciful fate, she thought. In a few days she would die of thirst. And then it would be over.

_But I don't want to die yet! _she silently screamed, while desperation returned to her with full force.

Help me, please, someone help me, she prayed, fighting down the urge to stand up and to hit the cell's door, screaming as loudly as she could. She didn't know what was worse; to die of thirst or to be tortured to death. She tried to suppress those thoughts, yet it was to no avail.

Suddenly she realized that she was rocking slightly back and forth. Riveting her eyes on the window, she began to hum softly, finally to sing. As small as the comfort was, to remember songs, which she had believed long forgotten, helped her not to think permanently about what the followers of the Dark Lord would do to her.

* * *

The first thing Ron noticed as he went upstairs was the ghostly silence. It was this unusual silence which made him aware of what had happened yesterday more than anything else. His parents and brothers were already sitting at the breakfast table. No one greeted him and Ron didn't say anything either. Sitting quietly down, he cast a furtive glance at his family.

Just as he, they looked like they had scarcely slept in the previous night. With a stifled yawn, Ron reached for the teapot. While he sipped at his tea, his eyes wandered listlessly over the table. But he wasn't hungry. His family also didn't seem to have any appetite judging by the sight that greeted him as he looked around.

As his spoon fell onto the table and broke the piercing silence that hung over them for a moment, he started.

"Ginny", he whispered soundlessly.

He didn't even know whether his little sister was still alive. They had been close since childhood. There was only one year and a few months between them and thus, when they were little, they had always played together. The twins had had each other and their older brothers didn't want to play with them.

And now the Death Eaters had captured her and had Ginny in their power. If he closed his eyes he could still see Ginny as she desperately tried to follow them, heard her voice screaming his name. He hadn't been able to protect her.

_If they would have only taken him! _Why hadn't he held on to her hand? Why hadn't he done something? As Ron looked up his gaze met with his father's. In his eyes he thought to see hate. Weighed down by feelings of guilt, Ron hung his head.

A chair scratched over the floor and Bill stood up. Wordlessly he left the kitchen. In intervals of a few minutes, Arthur and his sons also left the house. Ron and his mother remained behind. Not being able to endure the silence any longer, Ron jumped up and fled to his room.

* * *

With each step that brought Severus Snape nearer to the great hall, he cursed inwardly. His double life as a spy was a continuous tightrope walk and occasionally even he didn't know which side he was on. To decide which information he could pass on without being revealed as a spy by Voldemort or being considered to be a traitor by Dumbledore caused him sleepless nights now and then. There were times where he only wished that one side would finally win.

Thinking of Albus, he gritted his teeth. The leader of the Order of the Phoenix had indeed given him the task of finding out what had happened with the abducted students. As if their fate wasn't decided from the beginning. You didn't need to be a genius to know that the missing children were being tortured in some cell.

Severus knew each of the seized students and though he would not admit it, their fate hit him. It would have been better, he thought, had they left their lives in the train. Their end would have been less agonizing.

Shaking his head, he wondered what Albus had been thinking. He wouldn't be able to help them anyway. Even if he would find them – something that was rather unlikely, considering the great size of the dungeons – he would not be able to free them. Though he would be willing to sacrifice his life for them, the risk was just too great. The thought he could succeed in putting all guards in the dungeons out of action was absolutely absurd.

As he came to a halt in front of the great hall shortly afterwards, he sighed. Taking a deep breath, he bowed to the inevitable and went in.

* * *

When she had stopped to sing, Ginny didn't know, but it had merely made her thirstier. Leaning against the wall, she had stared across the cell. Time had passed incredibly slowly. At each louder noise which had reached her cell, she had flinched. Only after a while she had realized that all noises came from outside. The thick walls in the dungeons were obviously an explanation why she had not heard any screams.

Running her tongue across her dry lips, she yawned. She was so tired, yet to sleep was out of question. Casting a glance at her watch, she saw that it was already late in the afternoon. In a few hours it would be getting dark again.

As the door to her cell swung open, she leaped to her feet. Her captor regarded her with a mocking smile. With two steps he had reached her. He seized her arm and flung her to the ground. Dazed, she tried to get up, but he was already on top of her.

Only as he brutally kissed her, she began to struggle with all her might. He raised his hand and slapped her in the face once again. She started to scream. While fighting with him she felt dizziness rush over her. Yet she could not help herself. She knew that it might be better to surrender, but she could not will herself to lie still.

"Shouldn't you be on your guard?"

The voice, which was suddenly heard, was icy cold. Miraculously, her captor let go of her immediately. He jumped up and stammered,

"Yes, of course, my Lord. Forgive me. It'll never happen again."

He had hardly made his apology as he fell to the ground, writhing in pain. Now it was him who screamed. Shaken to the core, Ginny sat up slowly. She leaned against the wall for support and gasped for breath. She was totally exhausted. It had cost her nearly all of her strength to fight against the wizard. And still she felt his lips on hers, felt his hands touching her.

The screams ceased and the same cold voice said,

"Go, and see to it that it will never happen again."

Staggering, the Death Eater clambered to his feet, bowed deeply and hurried out of the cell. Ginny's hands curled around the soft fabric of her cloak. Hesitatingly, she looked up and stared straight into the brightest emerald eyes she had ever seen. Her heart leaped.

She hadn't the tiniest doubt of his identity. She was sure that this was the young Lord. The son of the Dark Lord was very tall, had raven shoulder-length hair and a strange scar on his forehead that resembled a bolt of lightning.

He looked young; he was probably only one or two years older than she was. Over his black robe he wore a long cloak. Around his left arm a little snake was curled. The reptile was black and had red squares on its back.

Suddenly she realized that he was staring at her just as intently as she was at him. Under his gaze she began to feel uncomfortable.

"Stand up," he finally said.

Ginny did. Though she hadn't felt sorry for her captor one bit, the knowledge that the young Lord wasn't disinclined to use the Unforgivable Curses boded ill for her. Moreover, if she believed the many legends about him, it would be downright foolish to disobey him.

"Follow me."

He turned around and left the cell. Ginny stumbled behind him. What else should she have done, anyway? While yesterday she had gone downstairs, now she went upstairs. They left the dungeons and crossed the hall. Every Death Eater they encountered, went not only immediately out of their way, but bowed deeply, very deeply.

The young Lord didn't pay any attention to them as he led her through the castle. Countless corridors and three stairs later, Ginny had lost all orientation. In front of a door he stopped and raised a hand. The door glowed in a golden light and opened. Ginny followed him and stepped into a large comfortable room. Nearly all of the whole furniture was black. In several bookshelves hundreds of various books were standing. While she still was looking around, the young Lord went to one of the armchairs and sat down.

He lowered his arm and waited for his hissing snake to slide to the ground. A moment later the snake had disappeared under the table.

"Sit down," he commanded as he straightened.

Timidly, Ginny stepped closer and slowly sank into the armchair that stood opposite of the young Lord's. Her gaze she riveted on the softly shimmering wood of the table. Her heart was beating fast. As a quiet noise was heard, she jerked her head up. In the middle of the room a little house elf had appeared.

"Yes, my Lord?" it asked in a squeaky voice.

"Bring us supper."

Seconds later the elf returned with a tray. As the house-elf handed her a glass of tea, Ginny could not believe that she was served supper.

"Thank you", she said softly.

The hot tea warmed her and quenched her thirst. As she had emptied the glass, the little house-elf promptly poured her another.

"Help yourself," the young Lord said.

Ginny flinched slightly. Without meeting his gaze, she reached for the plate. Though she was as hungry as she had never been before, she hardly got something down. When she had eaten as much as she could, she felt indeed better. Her dizziness had also decreased. Holding her second glass of tea, she saw that her hands shook. Although it was warm here, she was freezing. It had been so cold in her cell.

"What's your name?"

Looking up, her eyes met with brilliant green ones. Quickly, she averted them.

"Ginny," she replied with a low voice.

Still his eyes rested on her and she blushed.

"You're cold. If you want you can take a hot bath. Over there is a bathroom."

His voice was cold and even. She couldn't tell what he was thinking. So she only nodded, stood up and went to the door he had pointed to. She wouldn't have been able to say a word anyway. As she had locked the door behind her, she leaned against it. Her thoughts spun around. She didn't understand it. _Why was he offering her all that?_

For a while she hesitated, but then she undressed. Shortly afterwards she slid into the hot water. With a grimace, she looked at the bruises that adorned her arm. Though gradually the coldness left her, she could not calm down. She just didn't know what to expect. Her eyes flickered to the door. Since she had the suspicion he might come inside, she tried to hurry.

As unexpectedly a house-elf appeared she started. In its hands the little being was carrying some towels and a silky white nightgown. The elf laid the things on the floor, took her own clothes and disappeared. With a feeling of dread, she looked down at the nightgown. Would the young Lord rape her?

The thought was obvious and she wondered whether it had been such luck for her that he had rescued her from the Death Eater. This cold calculation of the young Lord seemed somehow even more threatening to her. But whichever way she looked at the situation, no ingenious escape plan occurred to her.

Suddenly everything went black. Forcing herself to take steady breaths, she got out of the bathtub and sank down on the edge. A little later she took one of the towels and dried herself. Then she bent down and picked the nightgown up. Without being really aware of it, she pulled it over her head. As the cold material enveloped her, she had to suppress a shiver. She turned around and looked into the oval mirror, hanging on the wall.

It was as if a stranger would look back at her. Her slender face was ashen. Under her eyes, which seemed very wide, dark shadows lay. She reached out her hands and held onto the wash basin. She still trembled. But this time it was from fear.

What should she do? She couldn't remain forever in the bathroom, after all. It was final. She was at the mercy of the young Lord. And this time no-one would help her.

Taking a step towards the door, she paused. How long she stayed there, Ginny didn't know, though with each passing minute she felt worse. And yet, involuntarily a fierce determination rose in her. She_ wanted_ to live. Perhaps, she thought, he will not kill me, if I comply with his wishes.

Summoning all her courage, she opened the door. The young Lord was still sitting in his armchair. As she stepped into the room, he looked at her. Unsure what to do, Ginny walked over the soft carpet and was about to sit down, when she heard his voice,

"Come here."

He patted the place next to him and moved over. Tensely she sat. Cold fingers lifted her chin up and she flinched. Once more she looked into his emerald eyes. She tried to read in them, but they were like a mirror, revealing nothing. He bent forwards and kissed her. While her heart was beating so fast that it hurt, she felt his hand sneaking around her waist and her resolve to let everything happen, wavered.

Yet she knew that she hadn't a chance against him. He was much stronger and more powerful than she was and she was so exhausted, so drained. And even if she had dared to fight against him, it would only bring her closer to her own death.

At least his kisses were gentle and not brutal, like the ones she had received from her captor. Nevertheless, she couldn't prevent the tears that welled up in her eyes. As he broke away from her, he seized her hands and pulled her up. He was about one and a half heads taller than her and as her legs gave away, it was good that he had been holding her so tightly.

With her in his arms, he walked to another door and pushed it open with one foot. The bedroom was bathed in a dim light. In front of the big four-poster bed that stood in the middle of the room he halted. Moments later she found herself on the soft blanket. He took off his robe, threw it carelessly on the floor and stretched out beside her. He drew her to him and kissed her. His hand made a strange movement and her nightgown disappeared.

He had performed magic without a wand, she thought shocked as he lowered himself on top of her. His weight took her breath away. Though she was frozen with fear, she slowly began to feel something else. His kisses were so soft, his touches as light as a feather as he stroked her cautiously. With his fingertips he traced circles onto her skin. Her tension lessened.

While Ginny was staring into his beautiful emerald-green eyes, which seemed to hold her captivated, a part of her marveled how this could be. She should not be enjoying his caresses, yet he evoked feelings in her she had never known before.

As he entered her, she felt a sudden sharp pain. Tears rolled down her cheeks. He paused and with one hand he gently wiped her tears off. Slowly, he began to move and to her wonder not only her pain faded, but her fear as well.

* * *

The cries of the girl woke him up. He bent over her, illuminated the room with his magic and shook her by the shoulder. Her eyes flew open and stared at him. Finally he said,

"Sleep on."

Turning around again to the other side, he broke his spell. Darkness descended upon them, yet his tiredness had gone. Instead he lay awake and listened to the unsteady breaths of the girl. As he recalled the relief he had just seen fleetingly creeping in her eyes, he felt something stir in him.

His thoughts wandered back to the dungeons. He didn't even know why he had gone to the dungeons this afternoon. There hadn't been any special reason. The desperate screams had led him to Ginny's cell. It had been the dark red hair that had prompted him to halt and to interfere, something he had never done before. And then she had looked at him. But why he had brought her to his chambers, he still couldn't understand.

Restlessly he sat up, looked to the side and regarded the sleeping girl in the bright light of the moon that streamed through the half opened window. The realization that Ginny had reminded him of his mother hit him without any warning.

His walls broke, suppressed memories assailed him, along with the hate which he had buried deep down in his soul for so long. He couldn't breathe anymore.

He jumped out of the bed and staggered to the window. The night air that he inhaled as deeply as possible did him good. For a while he stared at the dark shadows of the trees. Gradually he calmed down. He stepped to the bed again and thoughtfully looked down at Ginny, yet he just couldn't say with certainty whether she resembled his mother's appearance or not. But something about her had shaken him up and had managed to break the indifference surrounding him.

As he remembered how frightened her dark brown eyes had looked at him, he felt regret and a slight feeling of guilt rising in him. True, while he had raped the other women without a thought, he had made an effort not to hurt Ginny more than necessary. He couldn't blame her, after all, nor did he hate her.

Shortly afterwards he shrugged his shoulders and crawled back underneath the blanket. He knew that the time had finally come. They would pay. They all would pay. And he would get his revenge. As he gazed up at the ceiling, he clenched his hands. Why had he only wasted so much time? For so long he had been inactive. He could have already done something long ago.

But it wasn't too late yet. While a soft smile played around his lips, he lost himself in his thoughts. He only needed a suitable plan. Then he would put his retaliation campaign into action. He would keep his oath.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The bright light woke Ginny. She opened her eyes and sat up. She was alone. The young Lord had disappeared.

She sank back into the soft pillows and stared at the ceiling. Thoughts assailed her. To her great dismay she realized that she didn't know whether her brother, Hermione and Luna had survived the attack on the train. Incredible shame overcame her. She hadn't even thought of them once. Please, let them be alive! she silently prayed and blinked against tears. How worried they all must be about her. And her parents must be beside themselves with fear.

Oh, what would she not give to be with them now and to be safe in the Burrow.

But she wasn't. There was no point in thinking about this. She had to be strong, had to make the best of the situation and do everything in her power to survive. Perhaps she would find a way to escape.

Clinging to this hope, she stood up and wrapped the blanket around her. Standing in the open terrace door, she inhaled the fresh morning air. The park was bathed in blinding sunlight and the view was so beautiful that it was hardly imaginable that dungeons existed at this place, where people suffered agonizing tortures. She heard birds chirping, felt a soft breeze against her face and for one moment she forgot where she was.

As she caught sight of two Death Eaters marching towards the fortress, Ginny was jolted back to reality. She leaned out of the window and gazed down. Disappointed she sighed. The way out of the window was definitely not suitable for an escape, unless she wanted to break all her bones.

Turning around, she spotted a robe which hung over an armchair. She picked the dark green robe up and admired the delicate, silken material. Was the gown for her? Since she couldn't see her own clothes nowhere, it was rather likely.

While going to the bathroom, her thoughts wandered to the young Lord of whom she didn't even know the name. Still she could not fathom that he had been so gentle to her. She knew that she would be forever grateful to him. Though she had doubted yesterday if it wouldn't have been better if he had left her in the dungeons, all her doubts had vanished now.

She was certain that her captor wouldn't have shown her any consideration. But could she expect the young Lord to be always friendly to her or would he bring her back to the dungeons if he would lose his interest in her?

Quickly suppressing this unbidden thought, she looked in the mirror. Her cheek was shimmering in all possible colours, but at least she didn't look as drawn as the previous evening anymore.

After having dressed, she left the bedroom. As she stepped towards the laid table, she saw that the young Lord had already eaten. She smiled at the house-elf, who greeted her with a little bow and sat down. But hardly an instant later she leaped to her feet again. She ran to the door and seized the handle. The door was locked.

She returned to the table and sank onto one of the chairs. What a fool she was. Even if the door had opened and she would have found the way back to the hall, what then? She had never learned to apparate, let alone it was more than likely that the wards only permitted Death Eaters to leave the grounds.

But then she straightened and took a deep breath. She was still alive, she had not been tortured. She should be grateful to be here and not in a cold, dark cell. The mere thought of the dungeons sent a shudder down her spine. She knew that she had had unbelievable luck so far.

As the house-elf shoved a teacup right under her nose, she realized how hungry she was. The range was plentiful and she tucked in. When she had finished, the house-elf cleared the table and vanished.

Looking around, Ginny wondered what she should do. A noise caused her to gaze at the door. As the young Lord strode inside, she stood up and waited tensely. She didn't look at him, but she felt his eyes resting on her.

"You shouldn't try to flee. You wouldn't go very far. If the guards would not stop you, then the house-elves would. But now come. In a quarter of an hour an assembly will take place and I want you to accompany me", he said.

Before Ginny knew what she was doing, she asked,

"What meeting?"

"A Death Eater meeting."

Of course, Ginny thought while fighting against the rising panic. They wouldn't kill her there, would they?

"Nothing will happen to you."

She flinched and looked up. Though she wasn't sure, if she could trust him, she nodded lightly. They left the room and this time Ginny tried to memorize the way as she followed the young Lord. After a while they reached a large hall that was illuminated by countless torches which hung on the dark walls.

Ginny froze as she saw the gathered Death Eaters and the Dark Lord who sat on a magnificent throne from where he looked down on his followers.

She couldn't go inside, not to all those murderers, she thought. But then she felt a strong hand grab her arm and drag her forwards.

Most of the Death Eaters bowed, a few only stared at them with curious glances. Involuntarily Ginny inched closer to the young Lord. When they had reached the middle of the hall, the Dark Lord stood up.

"What a surprise to see you here, my son. To which circumstances do we owe your presence?"

There was a strange undertone in his cold voice. The grip of the young Lord tightened on her arm.

"Don't you think it is time for me to help you in ruling the world, Father?"

The red snakelike eyes of the Dark Lord widened. Father and son stared at each other.

Uncomfortably, Ginny shifted from one foot to the other. Carefully casting a glance to the side, she saw that she wasn't the only one who didn't know what was going on. It seemed that no one dared to move or make any sound.

As the silence had grown so heavy that you could have cut it with a knife, an eerie hiss could be heard. It took a moment for Ginny to realize that the Dark Lord and his son were speaking in Parseltongue. If she would only understand the language of the snakes as well! To know what they were saying would be surely interesting.

As their conversation ceased, the Dark Lord took his wand and conjured a second throne next to his. With a gesture of his hand he indicated his son to sit down.

The young Lord let go of her and walked towards his father. Since Ginny didn't know what to do she followed him, positioned herself next to his throne and rubbed over her arm with an inaudible sigh. Tomorrow she would have bruises, she was sure of it. As the Dark Lord began to speak, she raised her head.

"My faithful servants! For those of you, who haven't had the honour of meeting my son so far, let me introduce you to Henry Riddle, my son and heir."

Right away whispers broke out among the crowd of the Death Eaters. The Dark Lord didn't pay any attention to his servants, however. Instead he inclined his head to Henry and said in a quieter voice, so that only Henry and Ginny could hear him,

"I'm glad you finally came to your senses, Henry. It took you long enough."

"I'm sorry, Father. I know I should have come to you long ago."

"Yes, you should have."

While she listened to them, Voldemort's eyes suddenly focused on her. She forgot to breathe. Icy coldness rose in her. Quickly she looked at her feet.

"Who is that girl?"

"She's no one important, only my mistress."

To Ginny's boundless relief they soon turned their attention to the gathered Death Eaters.

"Severus, come forward."

The voice of the Dark Lord echoed through the hall and shortly afterwards Severus Snape stood before them and bowed.

Ginny drew a sharp breath. She looked straight into the familiar face of her Potions teacher. Though she had known that he was a spy – she had overheard that about two years ago in one of her parents' conversation – she was nevertheless shocked to see him here. Professor Snape recognized her at once and for a fraction of a second dismay flashed in his eyes; an emotion she hadn't thought him capable of.

"Yes, my Lord?"

"Tell me, is there any news?"

"Nothing of any importance, my Lord. They're busy with mourning their dead ones and worrying about the missing students. Some members of the Order have talked about attacking our headquarters, but I don't think that Dumbledore would ever agree to such a plan."

"Of course not. He knows very well that they would never succeed in taking my fortress.

Yes, to attack the train was a brilliant idea. What a pity you were disturbed by the Order. You managed to kill far too few. Why did you not fight against the Order and the Aurors as I had ordered you? Were you so afraid of them that you had to escape them as quickly as possible? Nott! You were the leader of that mission. Come here. Snape, you may go back."

Severus Snape bowed and returned to the other Death Eaters. Instead a short blond man came forward.

"Well, Nott, why did you and the others not fight?"

"I…my Lord, I thought…."

"You thought? You thought Nott? You do not have to think; you have to carry out my orders."

The Dark Lord raised his wand, but immediately lowered it again.

"Such negligence must be punished. Henry, perhaps you would do this?"

Wordlessly Henry raised his hand and made a casual movement. Nott fell to his knees, screaming. When the young Lord lifted the curse shortly afterwards, Nott clambered heavily to his feet and bowed.

"I hope, Nott, you will pay more attention to my orders from now on. Now, however, let us discuss another problem. You all know that Dumbledore and his Order are in my way and that they have ruined my plans far too often already. Until now, all efforts to eliminate them have failed and I know why. We've always attacked the whole Order. But in the future we will try to separate the members of the Order and to attack them one by one. I deem this strategy to be much more promising.

Severus, you will make a list with all names of the members on it, with their addresses, their weaknesses and their importance in the Order. Then we'll see, if we can't eliminate those worthless creatures."

_They aren't worthless!_ Ginny silently screamed. Trembling with fear and anger, she found it unbearable to listen to the Dark Lord as he planned to kill her family, her teachers and the other people she knew.

Looking over to Professor Snape, their eyes met. What would he do? Wondering whether he would write that list, she realized how dangerous his work as a spy really was. A wrong step and his secret could be discovered. And the Dark Lord would certainly not show any mercy to a servant who had betrayed him.

As Snape turned his head around, Ginny looked to the end of the hall, too. Four Death Eaters dragged a man, a woman and two children along with them. They approached and one of the Death Eaters said,

"We found them near the castle. What shall we do with them, my Lord?"

The Dark Lord studied the terrified faces of the small Muggle family, who obviously hadn't the slightest idea where they were and then gazed at his son,

"Henry, don't you want to welcome them?"

In his voice keen anticipation could be heard. Once more the young Lord raised his hand. When the screams of the father ebbed away and he was lying motionless on the ground, the mother started to writhe in pain. The cries of the little children, who struggled against the grips of the Death Eaters, cut Ginny to the core. Gripping the back of the throne so hard that her knuckles turned white, her gaze flickered shortly over to the Dark Lord. In his eyes a strange satisfaction was glistening; a sentiment she didn't understand.

As one of the children began to scream with pain, Ginny wasn't capable of watching the torture any longer.

"No, stop it, stop it!"

She wanted to run to the brown haired boy, but a firm grip around her arm prevented that and caused her to fall hard on her knees next to Henry's throne. The child's agonizing screams, however, ceased.

Ginny became aware of what she had done and froze. Expecting that she would be punished for her behaviour, she involuntarily gazed up to Harry. Imperceptibly he shook his head, before turning his attention again to his father.

"Very good, Henry. I'm proud of you."

Quieter the Dark Lord added,

"Discipline that lover of yours. Apparently she has much to learn yet."

"Don't worry. I'll teach her."

Hearing Henry's cold indifferent voice, Ginny shuddered.

"Throw them into the dungeons and then return to your posts," the Dark Lord said, addressing the four Death Eaters.

They bowed, picked the family from the ground and dragged them out of the hall. Ginny watched helplessly, praying fervently that at least the children would somehow survive.

"Since you finally decided to take your rightful place, I believe the time has come for you to get the Dark Mark, my son."

Henry let go of her arm and said,

"If you would allow it, I would rather have my own mark, Father."

"Your own mark?" the Dark Lord repeated, ignoring the hushed whispers of his followers.

While they were staring at each other, Ginny slowly stood up.

"It is your decision, Henry. Have you something in mind?" the Dark Lord said at last.

"I have."

In the air an image was appearing. When it could be recognized clearly, Ginny regarded it astonished. Three white lilies formed a circle. In the middle glowed a lightning. Lilies? Ginny wondered. The meaning of the bolt of lightning she could guess, but why flowers of all things?

For a moment the image lingered in the air. Then it disappeared.

Ginny's gaze flew over to the Dark Lord. Thinking that she had seen a hint of fear in his eyes, she shook her head. She must have had a hallucination. Why should the Dark Lord fear his son, after all?

"Well, this was all for today. The meeting is over. Severus, you'll make me this list as soon as possible. You are dismissed."

The Dark Lord stood up and bent down to his son.

"Come to my study after lunch. I still want to speak with you."

Not waiting for an answer, he walked to an insignificant door. The Death Eaters also left the hall one after the other. Some of them cast curious glances back to them, but shortly afterwards Ginny and Henry were alone.

"Come, let us go to the park," Henry said and rose.

Relieved that he didn't mention her earlier behaviour, Ginny followed him silently. A while later they were walking along one of the pathways. She turned her head towards the sun that was glowing brightly in the sky and savoured its warmth.

"You know Severus Snape, don't you?"

Slightly surprised, she nodded.

"Yes, he's my Potions teacher in Hogwarts."

The young Lord paused and looked at her.

"Is he a spy?"

Startled, Ginny flinched. That she hadn't expected. _What should she say? _Under no circumstances could she betray Snape. While she frantically searched for an answer, Henry lifted her chin up and forced her to meet his eyes. He seemed to be able to look straight to her soul.

"I see," he said and resumed his walk.

Not knowing how to interpret his remark, she stared after him, before hurrying to his side. Did he know that the Professor was a spy? Had she unconsciously revealed the truth to the young Lord? Was Professor Snape now in danger? If he was, she had to warn him somehow! The only question was how. She had not the slightest idea how to do it. Realizing that it was impossible, at least for the time being, she gazed at two golden butterflies which were dancing through the air.

As she had seen already in the morning, the park was beautiful, yet she could not forget where she was. She let her eyes wander around and even if she knew better, looked for a way to escape.

Following a path that was skirted by chestnut trees, Ginny suddenly stopped in her tracks. In front of her a tremendous, glistening lake extended itself. The high wall that surrounded the fortress was missing here, however. Strange, she thought, while looking across the lake to the meadows and the forest. She had only to swim through the lake and she would be free.

Turning her head, she hesitated. But her curiosity was stronger than her fear.

"Henry?"

The young Lord gazed at her. His eyes narrowed. Then he shook his head.

"Call me 'Harry'."

Blankly nodding, she asked,

"Why's the wall missing here?"

"If you're toying with the idea to swim to the other side, I've to disappoint you. First: you wouldn't go through the wards – they're invisible, but don't think they aren't there – and second: the lake is cursed. From here it doesn't look very far to the other shore, does it? If you should try to cross the lake, however, it would take the dimensions of the Pacific."

Well, she hadn't believed anyway that the lake would help her to freedom. As Harry began to go on, she nevertheless cast a longing gaze at the meadows and the forest which stretched across the horizon.

* * *

After the Dark Lord had dismissed his followers, Severus slowly walked out of the hall. His thoughts lingered on everything that just had happened. To see Ginny Weasley standing next to the young Lord had been a shock for him and promptly he had made the unforgivable mistake of losing control of his features. Though he had quickly managed to hide his surprise and fear that the girl would do something rash the instant she recognized him, he could only pray that no-one had noticed the expression on his face.

As he recalled her colourful cheek, pity overcame him. It was obvious that she had been hit, and he would swallow his wand in one piece should his suspicion that the young Lord had taken the girl into his bed be untrue.

Ginny Weasley was pretty enough, after all; a fact that could be only a disadvantage in the headquarters of the Dark Lord. At least she was still alive and judging by her appearance she hadn't been tortured too badly, something that astounded him greatly, considering who had claimed her.

His thoughts turned to the young Lord, whom he had never met up till now. According to everything those Death Eaters who hadn't been spared an encounter with the heir of the Dark Lord had said and according to everything he had seen Severus could only be grateful for this. Especially Bellatrix Lestrange and Narcissa Malfoy seemed to have attracted the young Lord's anger. Despite the fact that both women never had lost a word about their situation, everyone in the castle knew; expect the Dark Lord as he assumed.

With a sigh, he remembered the night he had seen Narcissa Malfoy stumble out of the young Lord's chambers. As she had sunk to her knees, he had wanted to help her. He would never forget the expression in her eyes as she had flinched from him. In contrary to Bellatrix, he liked Narcissa and so he had patiently waited in that night until she had been ready to allow him to help her.

While taking care of her injuries, he had carefully thought aloud if it wouldn't be sensible to report this to the Dark Lord and to ask him to set bounds to his son. Though their master punished them as well and his curses were everything but painless, he only did it if he found an occasion to be unsatisfied with their services; yet never to his own pleasure. That he reserved for the prisoners. Furthermore, the Dark Lord didn't intend to injure his followers in such a way that they weren't capable of fighting anymore.

He had hardly finished speaking, however, as Narcissa had grabbed his collar with frightened eyes and had beseeched him with hoarse, imploring voice to refrain from doing so.

'If you'll do this, Severus, he will kill us both and our master will not help us, even if he would know. By no means would he want to risk that…Severus, promise me that you won't do it. You would provoke a catastrophe!'

In the end he had promised her, even if he hadn't understood the sense of her words. Yet all his attempts to find out what exactly Narcissa had meant, had failed. She hadn't given him any further information and he had realized that she feared the young Lord more than anyone else. Since then he had often wondered what the Dark Lord wouldn't want to risk according to Narcissa's opinion. He had never found it out.

Reaching Hogwarts, Severus' thoughts concentrated on the Order assembly which would take place this afternoon and where he would meet the parents of Ginny Weasley and some of the other missing students.

A meeting he dreaded. He hated their hopeful glances, hated to crush their hope. And whether the Weasleys would be glad about the news of their daughter and sister he wasn't sure either.

And then there was yet the disturbing fact that the young Lord had finally appeared; a wizard, who didn't even need a wand. Having no doubt that he would join the future battles Severus couldn't suppress the dark premonition that it would be the young Lord who would bring about victory for the Dark Side.

Heavily sighing, he set off to his quarter, cursing the fact that it had to always be him who delivered bad news.

* * *

How surreal everything was, Ginny thought as she was sitting on Harry's little balcony in the early afternoon and held a plate with a piece of strawberry pie in her hands. Regarding the red strawberries, she would have nearly burst out laughing. Certainly this would no one believe her!

The urge to laugh disappeared, however, as quickly as it had come. Sadly she thought of her family and friends. Though she knew that Professor Snape would tell them that she was alive, it would not lessen the worry of her family. If she could only write them a letter! Only a few short lines, they would be enough.

All of a sudden she straightened. What, if she would ask Harry for permission? She had nothing to lose. Her behaviour during the assembly had not entailed any consequences, nor her question after the lake, after all. If he had wanted to punish her for that he would have done so by now, wouldn't he?

On the other hand he had tortured the child and his parents. Still she could see his expressionless face in front of her, the cold emerald green eyes that did not reveal anything.

Had the pain of the boy really left him cold? But if he didn't care about the feelings of others, why then had he made such an effort not to hurt her? Why didn't he treat her like a prisoner whose life was nothing worth?

_Nothing will happen to you._ He had kept his word, she thought, even if she didn't understand why he had taken her along to the assembly. And yet he had told his father that she meant nothing to him. Had it been the truth or had he wanted to protect her? As she remembered how Voldemort had regarded her, the thought seemed not to be so absurd anymore. What exactly she had seen in his red eyes, she could not say, but it had frightened her.

And perhaps Harry had only tortured the Muggle family because his father had demanded that from him. Though this didn't justify the deed, could she blame him for being the son of Voldemort? He had grown up in the Dark Lord's headquarters and had been brought up to be a dark wizard. He didn't know anything else.

She flung her arms around herself. Despite the warming sun she was cold. She would have gladly believed this, yet a little voice in her warned her. Angrily she shook her head. If she would only know what feelings she had for Harry. Might her mind tell her that she should hate him her heart said something else. Too great was her gratitude.

And why shouldn't she believe it? Ginny thought defiantly. Everything was better than to despair and Harry had given her the hope that she would survive.

Yes, she would ask him to allow her to write a letter. As soon as he would return from his meeting with his father, she would do it. Judging by his previous behaviour towards her, the worst what could happen to her was a simple no.

Watching a little butterfly, she managed even a smile. While she ate up her strawberry tart, her thoughts involuntarily wandered back to the assembly. Though the Dark Lord had tried to cover his surprise, Ginny was sure that he hadn't expected the appearance of his son, something she could not understand.

Harry surely had attended the meetings of his father before or was she mistaken in that point? Recalling that the Dark Lord had introduced Harry to his followers and Harry had asked his forgiveness that he hadn't come earlier, she frowned. That clearly contradicted her assumption.

And then their interaction! She could have sworn that something wasn't alright in the relationship of the two. It had seemed to her that they had always fought a battle when they had stared at each other. That she was right with her assessment could be very well possible. It was difficult to picture the Dark Lord as a loving father.

She looked into the cloudless sky and unwillingly shook her head. It was pointless to ponder over them. She knew far too little about Harry and his father and yet she couldn't help but wonder who Harry's mother was. The appearance of the house-elf startled her. She handed the little creature her plate and smiled at her. She could not blame her that she had told Harry this morning of her attempt to open the door. She had had no other choice.

With a soft sigh, Ginny stood up and looked into the park. If she raised herself on tiptoe she could even see the lake through the leaves of the tall trees. Though her fear had not left her completely, hope had returned to her.

* * *

"Have you seen her?"

Fleetingly Severus closed his eyes as he, hardly even having stepped through the door, was nearly overrun by Molly Weasley. Still searching for words, the voice of Albus Dumbledore saved him from having to answer her immediately.

"Molly, please sit down. Severus will explain soon."

Nodding gratefully to the leader of the Order, Severus went to his seat. In the meantime Albus let his gaze wander around over the many wizards and witches, who had gathered. He nodded.

"Well, I think we are all present. Then we can begin. Severus, would you now tell us, please, if you have found out anything?"

Severus, who had decided to tell the truth, started to relate the events. But he avoided looking in the direction of the Weasleys. When he had finished shocked silence hung over them. Molly was crying and sobbing onto the shoulder of her husband. Arthur sat motionless on his chair, his face ashen. Suddenly Molly lifted her head, tears still running down her cheeks and looked wildly around,

"We have to rescue Ginny. Albus, we can't let her stay there! I won't sit here and do nothing while my daughter is tortured by that bastard!" she exclaimed.

"Molly, I'm sorry, but we can't do…."

Further Albus didn't get. James Potter stood up and banged his fist on the table. With glaring eyes, he leaned forwards.

"Of course you can! But the destiny of other people never did interest you much, did it? It absolutely doesn't matter for you if persons suffer or disappear! And your meaningless apologies you can keep to yourself!"

"James, calm down. It isn't true what you are saying. I…"

"_It isn't true? _You didn't do anything, did you? You didn't believe me that Lily would never do such thing! You did not even lift the tiniest finger then! And now you don't intend to do anything as well, do you? You are a wretched coward, nothing than a coward, Dumbledore!" James roared.

Then he spun around, stormed out of the room and slammed the door with great force. Sirius Black, the best friend of James Potter stood up and followed him. Also, his other friends, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew, rose and went to the door. Remus still had the time to cast an apologetic look at Albus Dumbledore. Then he left the room, too.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4 **

After Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew had left the assembly, they hurried upstairs. Having a rough idea where James had gone to, they didn't need to search for a long time. They found their friend near the Hogwarts Lake. He was sitting on a bench and staring at the water. They stepped closer, yet James didn't stir. He didn't seem to perceive their presence.

Remus sighed sadly.

Since Lily had vanished, the woman, whom he had loved more than everything else in the world, James had changed completely. Someone who had known him in Hogwarts wouldn't recognize him anymore, if he met James now. Since that fateful day, James had never laughed nor smiled. Any zest for life he had lost.

Remus sat down on the bench next to James and while riveting his eyes also on the lake, his thoughts wandered back to the past.

They had been so happy when they had graduated from Hogwarts; four friends who had believed that they could do everything they wanted and that they could take the world by storm. Together they had moved into Godric's Hollow, a little house that James' parents had given to their son at his graduation.

Without realizing how dangerous it would get, they had begun the training for Aurors, even Peter – something that had surprised everyone, including himself. Being Aurors had been an aspiration they all had shared. It was a respected position and the magnificent uniform had surely led to them choosing this profession as well. Their desire to have adventures had played a role, too. Of course, they had been against the Death Eaters and the Dark Lord, but they had not taken the war very seriously, at least not in the beginning. Life had been great for them then and they had enjoyed it to the fullest extent possible.

Two years after they had left Hogwarts, James had married the love of his life Lily Evans. While they had become Aurors, Lily had decided to be a healer.

A few weeks after James' and Lily's wedding they had joined the Order of the Phoenix. They had finished their training and suddenly the war had become deadly serious. The realization how naïve and careless they all had been, had been a painful shock.

Godric's Hollow had become their refugee. There they had been able to forget the dead and tortured people and all the terrible experiences that gave them nightmares for a while; there they had despite everything yet found certain happiness.

But as James' and Lily's parents had been killed at an interval of a week sorrow also had come to Godric's Hollow. His own family had been found dead, too, not long after. It had been a hard time. But they had had each other. Everyone had been able to rely on the others. They had supported each other. When they just hadn't been able to bear the war anymore, they had gone to the garden of Godric's Hollow and had tried to still see a sense in the fight against Voldemort, a fight that demanded more and more victims with each passing day.

It had been Lily who had always encouraged them, Lily, who had not given up hope even in the darkest hours. It had been Lily who had made Godric's Hollow truly a home for them all. Until the day she had disappeared and everything had changed.

After a hastily gobbled down breakfast they had said goodbye to Lily and had gone to the Ministry to return to their duties as Aurors. At that point in time no one of them could have foreseen that they would see Lily for the last time. When they had returned to Godric's Hollow hours later they had found the house empty. At first, they hadn't been worried because it often happened that Lily had to work until late at night.

Sometime after midnight James had apparated to St. Mungo's and had discovered, to his utter horror, that Lily had never showed up for work.

Back in Godric's Hollow James had turned the entire house upside down. A message they hadn't found, instead they had discovered that Lily's suitcase, her favourite clothes and other personal belongings of hers had been missing as well. Though in the whole house there hadn't been any indication of force or an attack, James had been convinced that Lily had been abducted by Death Eaters.

In the same night James had alerted the Order of the Phoenix.

Albus Dumbledore, however, hadn't shared James' opinion. According to his estimation Lily had willingly left the house. He hadn't wanted to hear anything of James' plan to attack the Dark Lord's headquarters. All attempts to persuade the leader of the Order otherwise had failed. Albus had remained firm and had incurred James' hate with his refusal. Up till now, James hadn't forgiven his behaviour then.

If Remus was honest, he had understood Albus' argumentation. To attack the Castle of Death would have been pure suicide and yet...

Would there have been the tiniest chance for them to rescue Lily, he would have come along.

Since he, too, had never believed for a second that Lily had gone away on her own free will. She had loved James. She would have never left him. Apart from that she had always told them if she had gone somewhere. Such a thoughtless behaviour would have never fit into her personality.

Admittedly Lily's missing things and the non-existent signs of an attack clearly indicated otherwise and Remus also had never been able to explain how Lily should have managed to take her clothes with her if she had been abducted, but to believe something else would have seemed to him like a betrayal of Lily. Somehow nothing had make sense then. Even today they still didn't know what had happened. And probably they never would find out.

In his desperation James had gone to his archenemy from their school times Severus Snape and had asked him for help. As he had told them days later with dark shadows under his eyes that he hadn't found Lily in Voldemort's dungeons, James hadn't wanted to believe it, had even beseeched Severus to take him along to the headquarters.

Severus had only looked at him silently. That Lily was very likely dead, he hadn't said. He hadn't needed to.

For a brief period of time they had been afraid that James would commit suicide, until they realized that James would never do that as long as he had a notion of hope that he would discover the truth someday and perhaps find Lily again. So long as he didn't see her dead body he refused to believe that his Lily was not alive anymore. None of them had had the heart to tell James how unlikely that was.

The years had passed and they had learned more or less to cope with the loss of Lily. But James had not given up his hope. Remus' gaze flickered to James, who still was staring motionlessly at the water and knew that his friend would continue to hope till the end of his life.

He gazed over to Sirius and Peter and wasn't surprised to see that both were lost in their own thoughts. It was always the same. When James was thinking about Lily and lapsing into his worrisome wordless rigidity, they would sit silently together with him.

In the beginning they had tried to talk with him and to comfort him. They had soon realized, however, that their efforts had been pointless. Each of their words was meaningless for James, when he was aching for Lily.

And so Remus, Sirius and Peter sat together, again, on that warm summer day and remembered a young red-haired woman with brilliant green eyes.

But each one in a different way...

* * *

The Weasleys had hardly stepped into the living room as Ron already ran towards his parents and brothers and assailed them with questions. The afternoon had seemed endlessly long. Though his anger at his parents who had forbidden him to come along to the Order assembly, because he was supposedly to young, had still not subsided, this was not important for the time being.

Since his parents appeared to not be able to, Bill undertook it to tell his youngest brother the news. Silently, Ron listened. Each word hit him to the core. His sister was the mistress of the young Lord!

He looked into the pale faces of his brothers, gazed to his mother, who soundlessly cried and knew that it was the truth. Overcome by pain and feelings of guilt Ron closed his eyes.

In the meantime, Arthur Weasley mechanically put an arm around the shoulders of his wife. All the time he had been calm on the surface, but he found it harder and harder to suppress the storm that was raging in him. The feeling of helplessness threatened to suffocate him. Molly's crying became unbearable.

Without casting a glance at his family, he left the living room with fast strides and went in the garden. There he marched straight to the old brittle oak and slammed his fist against the tree.

Years ago he had shaken his head at James Potter when he had meant to attack the Castle of Death.

Arthur's laugh sounded bitter. What an irony! What a fool he had been then! Now he understood James, understood it in a sharp intensity he never thought would be possible. For his daughter he would risk everything, would he willingly put his life on the line.

Even a thousand dark wizards he would attack to save Ginny. Desperately he stared at his bleeding hand. Would there be anything he could do!

James Potter! He would visit Potter. Perhaps he _could_ do something after all. If he would manage to persuade James to help him, they could perhaps organize an attack against the headquarters of the Dark Lord. Surely James would still be ready to risk everything to find his wife.

A tiny spark of hope rose in him. He stood up and apparated to Godric's Hollow.

* * *

The loud tapping jolted Hermione Granger out of her thoughts. Startled, she jumped up from her armchair, seized her wand and spun around. But it was only a little familiar owl. The happenings in the train must have affected her more than she had thought.

Angrily she tried to chase away the memories. She went to the window and let Ron's owl in. Ron's letter was short, but he had written so illegibly that it took a while for her to decipher his handwriting. Hardly having read the last word, she sank on her bed. The parchment fluttered to the ground.

Shocked she stared at the letter, but made no move to pick it up.

Ginny! Even if the relief that her friend was still alive had blocked out all other feelings in the first moment, now cold fear seized her. Would she see the red-haired cheerful girl ever again? Hermione shuddered when images of a tortured Ginny flashed through her mind. She bent down, picked Ron's letter up, and made a quick decision. She would go to the Burrow. Ron needed her. Knowing him, he would probably blame himself for Ginny being now at the mercy of the young Lord.

Hermione stood up and left her room. Though her parents wouldn't be very happy about that, Hermione hoped that they would understand her nevertheless. She would not be capable of leaving Ron alone in his desperation and sorrow. Her presence might not be of much use, but at least she could be there for him.

* * *

When it was getting colder and the sun disappeared behind the clouds, Ginny left the balcony and went inside again. She cast a glance at the many books, but momentarily she was truly not in a reading mood and so she just sat down in one of the armchairs. She drew her knees to herself, flung her arms around them and tiredly closed her eyes.

The loudly shut door caused Ginny to flinch. Nervously she looked to Harry. Though his face was expressionless, he seemed to be angry. The meeting with his father must have gone not to his satisfaction, she thought.

Observing his abrupt movements as he threw his cloak over the back of the next best armchair and ordered a house-elf to bring supper, Ginny could have cried. How should she now work up the courage to ask permission to write a letter?

Ginny was so occupied with forcing herself to make a decision that she scarcely noticed what she was eating. Do it finally, she told herself. This morning at the lake you would have asked him as well, after all. Yes, but there he wasn't angry. She could not be certain of his reaction.

But Harry didn't pay any attention to her. He didn't address her at all. Instead he stood up and stepped to the window. His behaviour and the thought of her family caused her at last to take a deep breath and to ask:

"Harry?"

He turned around and looked at her.

"Yes?"

"Could I…could I write a letter to my family, please?"

Ginny nearly stumbled over her own words, but she managed to sustain his piercing gaze.

The attempt to read in his face failed miserably. But then Harry nodded slightly.

"If you want. There, at the desk, you find parchment and quills."

While Harry turned again to the window, Ginny still remained sitting for a moment, completely taken by surprise. That Harry would indeed give her his permission she had not dared to hope. After fetching parchment and a shining black quill, she returned to her seat and began to write. Ginny was so absorbed in writing that she didn't notice that Harry turned around once more and was silently watching her.

Even if Harry could rather guess Ginny's smile than see it, he didn't rue his decision. Perhaps she would be really able to help him. If he had someone he could trust, it would simplify so many things. But could he trust Ginny? And would he be able to?

Unwillingly Harry shook his head. Though he knew this girl that had shaken him out of his lethargy only for one day, he just couldn't stop thinking about her.

What an irony of fate it was that Ginny was now in the same position in which his mother had been so many years ago. And yet it could not be compared. Harry knew that Voldemort would have never allowed his mother to write a letter. The memories that suddenly assaulted him, swept him away. He closed his eyes and leaned against the wall, while images of his mother rose in him.

He saw the sparkle in her emerald eyes when he had been able to write his name for the first time. How proud she had been of him! She had jumped up and had swung him through the air. He saw them both in their secret rose garden, saw a little raven-haired child that excitedly showed his mother which new spells he had learned; remembered how she had hid from him and how she had run with him through the park.

He remembered cold winters, in which she had showered him with snow; evenings where they had sat in front of the lively flickering fire and he had been listening, fascinated, to her stories.

He could almost hear her bright laugh, thought to feel her arms around him, hugging him tightly.

All the years he had managed to bury the memories deep in his soul. But now he was seized again with the indescribable pain that had put his childhood to such a sudden end.

And though each moment of this one day, when he had lost his mother forever, had engraved itself forever on his soul, he had successfully avoided remembering that day so far, but yesterday had changed that.

A sob threatened to arise in him.

Breathing became difficult, icy coldness surrounded him. And he knew that he had to distract himself. Quickly, before he wouldn't be able to suppress the memories and feelings of guilt anymore. He would _not_ think of this day. He couldn't.

"Have you finished your letter?"

Harry's sharp voice caused Ginny to look up. As he came towards her, she stood up and while handing the letter to him, she froze. How could she have been so careless! Harry would surely read her letter and she had written that Professor Snape was in danger.

But Harry made no attempts to unfold the parchment. Instead, he marched to the window.

He ripped it impatiently open, leaned out and emitted a brief whistle. Shortly afterwards, a black shimmering phoenix flew inside and landed gracefully on Harry's arm. Bewildered, Ginny watched how Harry gave her letter to the magical bird and fleetingly stroked over the shining feathers. Phoenixes were so rare that it came up to a wonder to see one. Albus Dumbledore had been the only one so far whom she knew to possess a phoenix.

Harry's phoenix trilled softly and flew again out in the park. While Harry was closing the window, Ginny riveted her eyes on Harry. She still couldn't believe that he hadn't read her letter. When he turned and looked at her, she quickly lowered her gaze. Perhaps she had written the truth after all. Either way, her family would get her letter and they would know that she was all right. Ginny raised her head and smiled at Harry.

"Thank you," she said softly.

Harry nodded and stepped towards her. As he bent down to her, she didn't back away from him.

* * *

Restlessly, Bill rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling. It was already late, but he just couldn't fall asleep. His thoughts wouldn't leave him alone. His family was breaking before his very eyes and there was nothing he could do against it. The evening had been dreadful. Not long after their return from the Order assembly his mother had broken down. While Charlie and he had taken care of her and brought her to bed, his father had left the house without so much as saying a word. He hadn't returned yet.

Bill could only hope that he wouldn't do anything rash. Gradually his anger on his father abated and was replaced with deep worry. If he would only know, where Arthur had gone to!

Never before in his life had he felt so helpless. Again he saw Ron's face in front of him when he had told him what they had discovered from Severus Snape. He knew that Ron blamed himself for the happenings, but he hadn't been able to bring himself to speak with Ron and to make him realize that he wasn't responsible for Ginny's abduction.

Abruptly Bill sat up, and realized that he blamed himself. And that was the reason which hindered him to speak with his brother. Though his mind was telling him that there had been nothing he could have done to prevent the attack, his feelings were saying otherwise. He was the oldest. For as long as he could remember, he had looked after his younger siblings and had done his utmost to protect them from all dangers.

It was this pressure, this uncertainty as well as their feelings of guilt, which probably every one of them carried around, that slowly destroyed them. The fact that it was ridiculous to have any feelings of guilt didn't play a role. They all knew that they couldn't have done anything, but since when was an emotion reasonable?

The twins, who usually were inseparable, had fiercely quarreled with each other already twice. Percy, too, behaved strangely and Charlie wasn't the same anymore as well.

Bill rolled to the other side and looked at Charlie. It seemed that he was sleeping. Bill knew his brother well enough, however, to see that it was a deception. Bill wanted to say something, but no sound wanted to pass his lips. Even if he had known what to say, it wouldn't have changed anything. There was no comfort for them.

Nor could they do anything to rescue Ginny. The realization was bitter. They would never see Ginny again and Billy knew that Ginny's abduction would break his family.

All the years they had survived. The war had not managed to bring them to their knees. Together they had defied all horrors of war. Until now. To know that Ginny was in the power of the young Lord and that they could do nothing to help her was driving him mad.

But as much as it hurt, he couldn't refuse to see the reality. It was impossible to openly attacking the Castle of Death. His little baby-sister was lost. The only hope would be Severus Snape's reports.

* * *

Absentmindedly Albus Dumbledore looked through various papers, which were lying in disarray on his desk. The Order meeting had worn him out more than he wanted to admit to himself. Still he could see Molly's face, felt the accusing glances of the remaining Weasleys and of the parents of the other dead and missing students.

James' outburst of fury didn't stop to bother him, too. His words had hurt him much.

It wasn't true that Lily's disappearance hadn't mattered to him, nor had her fate left him cold, as James was claiming. He had been very fond of Lily. She had been one of the brightest students Hogwarts ever had had and later one of the most capable members of the Order.

As Lily had disappeared without a trace, he had been worried, of course. But everything had indicated that Lily had left Godric's Hollow willingly.

He could only speculate about the reason that had led her to do this. She had been a healer. Every day she had been confronted with atrocious things, had often worked until complete exhaustion. Perhaps she had wanted to escape all this, perhaps the heavy burden of responsibility she had borne in the Order had become too much for her.

Albus didn't know it. But he hadn't seen the necessity to send a whole bunch of people to search after a missing member while everyone had been needed – and was still needed – to fight against Voldemort and his many followers.

Even if he should have been mistaken and Lily Potter had been indeed abducted, it wouldn't have made any difference. As regrettably it was, he could not have spared anyone of his allies to search for Lily.

A war simply demanded sacrifices. And might it be cruel to sacrifice one person to ensure the survival of others, it was a necessity in time of war. At least, it had been and still was his belief. But James didn't want to understand this.

Tiredly Albus ran a hand over his forehead and thought of Severus' report. The fact that the young Lord had finally appeared was worrying him deeply. Now all doubts were cleared up. The young Lord hadn't any scruples to torture innocents and probably to kill them as well. He was a worthy heir of Voldemort.

Though Albus hadn't really expected something else, the prospects of having to fight also against the young Lord in the future, who didn't even need a wand – according to Severus – prophesied a dark future. Voldemort held all the cards.

In addition he was more determined than ever to destroy the Order of the Phoenix.

With a sigh Albus remembered the list that Voldemort had demanded from Severus. At the meeting they hadn't found a solution on what they should do and if he was honest he didn't have a suggestion either. Defeated and hopeless the old wizard stood up, stepped to the window and stared up to the full moon.

* * *

The way in which the young Lord was kissing and holding her had something desperate. As Ginny realized that his touches were gentle despite his obvious restlessness, she gradually relaxed. To her astonishment she even returned his kisses.

Later, as they were lying silently next to each other in the large four- poster bed, Ginny wondered what it might be that so much tormented the young Lord.

"Tell me about your family."

Ginny turned around. But it was too dark in the room. She could not see Harry's face. Though she didn't understand why he suddenly showed interest in her family, she didn't see any point in refusing. First hesitantly, then more and more fluent she began to tell him.

Tears welled up in her eyes. How much she missed her parents and brothers!

"Ginny, don't cry."

Harry softly touched her cheek. For the first time his voice had sounded affectionate. Ginny raised one hand and laid it on Harry's.

"Will I ever see my family again?"

In the same instant she became aware how absurd it was that she asked the young Lord of all people such a question.

"I don't know, Gin," Harry said at last and drew her towards him.

While lying in his arms, Ginny wondered about his reply. Did this mean that he would perhaps help her to escape? Neither had he said no, nor had he become angry. She remembered how he had called her and she had to smile at her new nickname.

All of a sudden she realized that she didn't fear Harry anymore. Perhaps she would really be able to bring him to help her. Yes, perhaps she would even see her family again one day. She looked at Harry and felt peculiar warmth rising in her.

"Who is your mother? Does she live in the castle?"

Harry froze. His grip became painful. Then he let go of her all of a sudden, threw the blankets aside and with two steps was at the window. He drew the curtains aside and ripped it open. Silvery moonlight streamed into the room.

Ginny sat up, wondering what she had done wrong.

"Harry?"

"She died when I was seven," Harry said tonelessly.

Ginny clapped a hand to her mouth.

"Oh, Harry. I am so sorry."

Harry spun around. Startled, Ginny flinched back. His eyes were blazing dangerously; his hands were clenched to fists. The air around him seemed to vibrate.

"No! You don't understand it! You understand nothing! Nothing!" he shouted.

He grabbed his robe and hastily slipped it over. Storming out of the room, he slammed the door behind him with such a force that Ginny thought the door would leap out of its hinges. Distraught, Ginny stared at the now closed door. She trembled. For a moment she had been scared that he would hit her.

She wrapped herself tighter in the blanket and flung her arms around herself. Harry's fit of rage had terrified her. That had been completely inconsistent with his ordinary cool behaviour. Only a few hours ago she had still believed that Harry would not lose his self-control so quickly. But now she had to realize that her judgement of the young Lord wasn't accurate at all.

On one side, cruel and cold, he wasn't afraid to torture, but on the other side he had been gentle to her and had given her hope that she would survive. Ginny looked to the window and riveted her gaze on the full moon. If she would, at least, understand it!

Sure it was sad, if a child lost his mother so early, but it didn't explain Harry's reaction at all. She remembered how he had literally frozen in her arms. Her suspicion that something was really wrong here hardened. What had really happened here so many years ago? Did those occurrences that had happened then even hide the explanation for Harry's strange relationship with his father?

The longer Ginny pondered about this the more likely it seemed to her. It hadn't been only blind anger that had been mirrored in his eyes. Pain and desperate helplessness, she had also seen. Just as hate, she suddenly thought and shuddered.

If she only knew what was tormenting him, if she could only help him! The thought gave her pause. Confused, she shook her head.

She stood up, stepped into the bright moonlight and gazed out of the window. Where might Harry be now?

_Did you lose your mind? Why are you worrying about him? Did you forget who he is? What he did to you? Probably he will bring you back to the dungeons tomorrow and will forget you there!_

With much effort she silenced the persistent voice in her. She didn't want to believe it, refused to even consider this possibility. But the anxious feeling remained.

What, if Harry wouldn't forgive her?

Wrapped into the blanket, she sat on the windowsill. She was far too shaken to being able to sleep now. Again she saw Harry's eyes, blazing with fury, felt his hand gently wiping away her tears. Tiredly she leaned against the wall. The pictures mingled.

What did she mean to Harry? And which role did she play? Was she Harry's prisoner? His victim? His lover?


	5. chapter 5

**Chapter 5 **

It was early in the morning. Even the sun hadn't risen yet. But, slowly, the obscurity of the night was fading away and light was beginning to peek through the shroud of darkness. The silvery fog patches that were wandering through the park caused Harry to shiver.

Harry wrapped his cloak more tightly around him and began to run. But it didn't help. His thoughts inevitably returned to his nightmare that had recently jolted him out of his restless sleep. For weeks, he had been spared, but whereas he had resolutely managed all the other times to suppress any thought of the dream that haunted him since his mother's death, he didn't succeed now.

Gasping for breath, he finally paused. He looked up and froze. It should not have surprised him particularly to find himself at this place, not after everything that had happened yesterday, and yet the sight of the narrow archway hit him like a shock.

He wanted to turn, but his legs didn't obey him. Something forced him forwards and before he could prevent it, he stood in the little rose garden of his mother. Since then he hadn't come here again. It seemed to him that nothing had changed. He stared at the dark roses and fought against his memories.

If only Ginny hadn't asked him after his mother. Like one demented he had strayed through the park yesterday. Sometime his tiredness had gotten out of hand. He had sat down on the ground, had leaned against the tremendous trunk of one of the chestnut trees and had fallen asleep.

He sank onto the little bench and shuddered. Sure, Ginny's question had come completely out of the blue, but that it had thrown him off balance to such an extent frightened him. The happenings of the last days must have affected him more that he wanted to believe. Since he had met Ginny in the dungeons, his memories came back with a vengeance, just as his feelings, which he had believed forgotten and he didn't know how to deal with that.

But about this he would think later. It was much more important to devise a workable plan.

He wanted to take revenge. He wanted to kill Voldemort. That was for certain. The question was only how he should do it. And it wasn't only Voldemort who should suffer. The others should, too. The loyal servants who had helped the Dark Lord should receive their just punishment as well. If there had been the tiniest prospect of success he would have marched in the hall alone and would have put his retaliation campaign into action.

The only problem was that he couldn't do it alone. To fight against so many enemies at the same time would mean his certain death. No, if he got even with Voldemort he would need the certainty that the other Death Eaters wouldn't interfere.

A derisive smile flitted across Harry's face as he remembered how taken aback the Dark Lord had been about his appearance in the yesterday's assembly. Well, he hadn't expected any other reaction.

After all, he had hid himself since he had been seven. The first years after his mother's death, he had locked himself in his room and had passed his time with books. He had been obsessed with learning as many spells and curses as possible. Every book that had been standing in his room or the tremendous library he had read and re-read until he had been able to perform every spell that had been written in them.

Only his snake, his phoenix and the house-elves had kept him company. His snake he had found in one of the flowerbeds shortly after his sixth birthday, as he had played in the park. The strange little creature had fascinated him and had aroused his curiosity. And then he had found out that he actually could talk with it.

He had picked up the snake and had excitedly run back to his chambers. His mother had looked at him thoughtfully as he had showed her his new pet. Then she had hugged him tightly. For some reason she had been sad as he now realized.

His phoenix, he had found a year and a half later or better said his phoenix had found him. Soon after his mother had died, he had fled into the park. It had been winter, but he had perceived neither the bitter coldness nor the snowflakes, whirling fiercely around.

He would have surely frozen on that day, if the black shimmering phoenix had not appeared from nowhere. Soft wings had surrounded him, lovely singing had comforted him. And somehow he had found his way back into his rooms, where the house-elves had taken care of him. From where Rainbow had come and, above all, why the magical bird had saved him, Harry never discovered.

Since then, Rainbow had stayed with him, and she and Diamond, his snake had kept him company in the following lonely years, though even they had not been able to prevent him from becoming more and more withdrawn into his shell and burying all his feelings deeper and deeper inside of him. With each passing day his indifference had increased till nothing had played a role anymore. Diamond, who had seen much on her forays through the castle, had been his eyes and ears throughout the castle, but he hadn't paid much attention to her discoveries.

When Harry had been older he had left his chambers more and more often. Even in the park he had gone again, though he had taken care not to come near the rose garden and out of boredom had begun to explore the spacious dungeons.

Not wanting to meet neither the Dark Lord nor his closest followers, he had avoided the rest of the castle. The chance to run into them in the dungeons had been very slim. The Dark Lord went there next to never and his confidents as well did not often go to the dungeons of the castle.

One of the guards had made the mistake of ordering him gruffly to go out of his way. Seized with sudden anger, Harry had cursed him. Since then he had practiced the spells and curses he had found in his books on the many Death Eaters who guarded and interrogated the prisoners. After he had been recognized, none of those pitiful creatures had dared to forbid him his pastime. Harry wasn't even sure if the Dark Lord had ever found out about it.

The feeling of unrestricted control and power had intoxicated him and had made him forget the complete indifference. Whenever he had tortured anyone, he had nearly felt alive.

And then he had unexpectedly met Bellatrix Lestrange. Frozen, he had stared at her, and her sight had evoked the memories without any warning. Against the merciless hate he had been powerless and thus he had raped her; the woman, whom he had trusted and even loved long ago, until that one fateful day. Her screams had suppressed the memories.

But now he would not be able anymore to block the memories. Too much had happened in the last two days, too much had awoken in him.

Harry lifted his head and saw that the sun was just rising. Yes, it was time to take revenge. They would pay. He would have to be careful, however.

Harry thought back to the meeting he had had yesterday with Voldemort in his study and sighed. He had needed all his willpower to fool the Dark Lord that he had forgiven him and that he wanted to rule at his side in the future. By all appearances the Dark Lord had believed him, but Harry knew that no matter how sceptical he might be of his sudden change of heart, Voldemort would not let anything show for the time being, nor would he dare to do anything against him.

Harry smiled coldly. For now he had in any case succeeded in shaking the peace of the Dark Lord. He hadn't missed the imperceptible flicker in Voldemort's eyes as he had caught sight of Ginny, nor his reaction to his sign that he had cast into the air in the great hall.

But when he wanted to put his revenge into action, he needed help. Involuntarily he thought of Ginny. The memory of the previous evening caused him to bury his head into his hands. Did he have any right at all to ask her for help, after everything he had done to her?

Would she ever be able to forgive him? Fear, he had seen in her eyes, but never hate. Perhaps it wasn't too late yet, he thought. Though he could not undo his behaviour, he would somehow try to make amends.

Determined, he stood up. It was time to speak with Ginny.

* * *

Motionlessly standing at the window in his study, the Dark Lord gazed out into the park. His eyes were rigidly directed at his son, who approached the castle with fast strides and little later disappeared out of his view.

If he only knew what to think of his son! What could have caused Henry's sudden change of heart? The memory of the lilies and the fiery lightning bothered him. He had understood the allusion only too well. Neither had he forgotten the words the boy had screamed on that one day so many years ago.

If his son had really changed his mind and had come to his senses, it would be fatal, however, to endanger that through unfoundedly suspicions. After all, he had seen at yesterday's assembly how powerful his son was. Voldemort knew that Henry could end the stalemate that existed for years between the Dark Side and the Order of the Phoenix and thus decide the war.

But should his son indeed plan to take revenge, he would have to act, how much this thought might trouble him.

Voldemort gazed at the chestnut trees and wished as so often in the last years that he could reverse the past. If only Henry hadn't witnessed his mother's death! Or if he had had the presence of mind to obliviate the boy. But they all had been paralyzed with shock. Everything had happened so incredibly fast. No-one had known what to do, including himself. And as he had finally regained his senses, it had been too late. The damage had been done. Since then, Henry had never again come near him.

Though he could have easily opened Henry's door that always had been locked, he hadn't found his son whenever he had broken into Henry's rooms. He even had had Henry's rooms watched for days. Henry hadn't put in an appearance. A thorough search of the whole castle had been unsuccessful. A mystery he hadn't been able to solve until today. Now and then he had seen his son in the park, but only from afar. All his attempts to catch Henry had failed. And sometime he had given up and had hoped his son would come to his senses one day.

With a wistful sigh the Dark Lord remembered the beginning that had been so promising and recalled the day where he had seen Lily Potter for the first time. The young woman had protected an unconscious Auror – a wizard he had wanted to kill. But the red-haired woman hadn't stepped aside, as he had expected. Instead she had walked towards him, proud and upright. Anger had blazed in her emerald eyes as she had begun to fight with him. The sudden appearance of many Aurors, who hadn't been involved in the fight so far, had enabled her to flee and had saved the hurt wizard's life.

The second time they had met she had escaped, too, but at that point in time he had already known that he wanted her. Since she had fought him, he had desired that woman. He had wanted to break her; her resistance, her bravery, her will to live and her pride. She had humiliated him by daring to fight against him.

Furthermore, he had seen in her the right woman to bear him a son and heir. Not only had she been intelligent, brave and beautiful, but powerful, as well.

With all his thoughts he had strived for bringing her under his control. The plan he had devised to abduct her had been successful. In shortest time, he had managed to break Lily entirely with an ingenious idea; at least he had believed so. She had anticipated his every wish and she had bore him Henry, his long-awaited son. The first years had gone to his fullest satisfaction. On that one day however, all his plans for the future had shattered in a fraction of a single moment.

In one go, Lily Potter had destroyed everything. It had been her fault. She had provoked him and only then had he realized that she had deceived him all the years. Neither had he ever broken her will, nor had she ever submitted to him.

The white-hot fury that had seized him then, he still could feel today.

_Lily, _he thought, while helpless hate arose in him. He should have killed her after Henry's birth.

But now it was too late to ponder the past. It had happened and he couldn't change it, despite how much he would have loved to do so. Slowly going to his desk, he knew that he had to keep an eye on his son in the future.

Under no circumstances should he underestimate Lily's son.

* * *

As James Potter stepped into his living room, he saw that Arthur Weasley had not yet awaken. The decision to let Arthur sleep was quickly made. If he remembered how desperate Arthur had been the previous evening, he probably had slept just as badly as he himself had.

Quietly, James went to the window and looked into the garden, wishing almost Arthur had never come to his house. But Arthur had been in such a disastrous condition that James just couldn't have sent him away, despite his dislike against Arthur, who had vehemently taken Albus' side then and who had called him a careless fool.

Arthur's stammered, but sincere excuse had disarmed him. Compassion had seized him. He had brought Arthur to the living room, had pushed him gently into one of the arm-chairs and had provided him with hot tea, while he had asked Sirius, Remus and Peter to leave him alone with Arthur.

He couldn't explain it exactly, but he had never spoken with his friends about his feelings concerning Lily and her disappearance. Something had always prevented him from doing it.

It wasn't so that he didn't trust them. He knew that they would never let him down, when he needed them, but instinctively he had sensed that they couldn't really understand how it felt to lose the person you loved more than everything else in the world, yes, even more than your own life.

But Arthur understood it now. They had sat together yesterday and had talked until late at night. Arthur had told him about his daughter Ginny and he had told Arthur about his Lily. For the first time in years James had been able to speak about his wife.

And though his long conversation with Arthur had helped him and had taken a bit of his heavy burden from him, it had also painfully evoked his memories.

Whispering Lily's name, he gazed up into the sky. How he missed her. He missed and longed for her every second of his life.

He heard her silvery laugh, saw her sparkling emerald green eyes in front of him, remembered how she had whirled around in the garden in the summer, how she had run towards him and had thrown herself in his arms. Despite the war, despite the indescribable cruelties he had witnessed every day, he had been happy. Lily had been his light in the darkness; she had been the sense of his life.

Every day she had encouraged him, had believed firmly that the war would end one day. She had merely needed to look at him with her sparkling eyes and he had shared her hope, all his desperation forgotten for a while. A soft touch from her and he had known that he would survive another day.

James heavily leaned onto the windowsill and closed his eyes. That he didn't know what had happened on that day Lily disappeared haunted him.

Nearly every night he had created a different scenario of what could have happened. Everyone had been crazier than the one before. Still he did that and tormented himself with feelings of guilt, when one part of him considered but for a moment that she could have left him willingly.

But with such suspicions he would have betrayed Lily. He would have betrayed their love.

And this he would never do.

James turned around and regarded the sleeping Arthur. Suddenly he thought of the suggestion Arthur had made and which had occupied him the whole night. Then no-one, save his friends, had taken him seriously as he had spoken of his plan to attack the headquarters of the Dark Lord. But now he had Arthur's support.

Perhaps the attack on the train was exactly the means to an end he needed. Suddenly wide-awake, James nodded pensively, felt how agitation rose in him.

The parents of the other missing and dead students would surely be willing to join them as well. Maybe the majority of the Order would finally realize that the war would never end, if they all were afraid of attacking Voldemort directly.

Albus, this coward, would oppose them, of course. They would have to find a way to prevent him from crossing their plan. James knew how dangerous their scheme was, knew that they all would risk their life, yet this didn't matter to him. He had never cared about the danger.

The only thing that mattered was Lily. He would rescue her.

One thing he had learned from Lily. Even if the situation was hopeless, she had never given up. He would also fight until the end. Some things were worth to die for.

And Lily was worth everything.

* * *

Molly Weasley sat on the kitchen table and stared at her coffee that had gotten cold long ago. How quiet it had become in the house, she thought and looked at her sons who silently were eating their breakfast. Since Ginny's abduction they had hardly spoken a word.

Burning tears welled up in her eyes, yet she hadn't any strength anymore to cry, nor to worry about Arthur.

A loud tapping against the window startled the Weasleys. Molly quickly turned around. To her astonishment she spotted a black phoenix sitting on the window ledge. In his beak the magical bird was carrying a letter.

"Has Dumbledore found another phoenix?" Bill asked. With a frown he regarded the unfamiliar phoenix.

"I don't know," Molly answered, while standing up. She went to the window and opened it. She had just taken the letter when the phoenix flew away. Molly gazed after him until he had disappeared from her view and then riveted her eyes on the thin parchment.

Molly recognized the handwriting immediately. The world seemed to spin and Molly swayed.


	6. chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"Mum!"

With a dart Charlie jumped up and caught his mother just in time. He put his arms around her waist and supported her. Slowly Molly regained consciousness again, heard the startled voices of her sons.

"What's the matter?"

"Mum, everything all right?"

She leaned against Charlie, nodded weakly and clutched the letter to her.

"Sit down. You are ashen," Charlie said and led Molly to her chair.

Bill handed her a glass of water. Molly sat down, took a sip, then looked up and whispered nearly inaudibly,

"It is from Ginny. The letter is from Ginny."

_"What?"_

_"From Ginny!"_

While her sons stared unbelievingly at the parchment that she still pressed to her, Molly felt fear seizing her. With trembling hands she opened the letter. In the first instant the black lines seemed to blur in front of her eyes. Pulling herself together, she took a deep breath, and, with a husky voice, she began to read aloud what her daughter had written.

_Dear Mum and Dad, Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred, George and Ron,_

_as unbelievably it may sound: __I am all right. __Harry rescued me from the dungeons and I don't think that I'm currently in peril of my life, __so do not worry about me. __Please __write back immediately, whether Ron, Hermione __and Luna __have survived the attack. __I just have to know, even if…if they…Tell me the truth, will you? _

_And Ron, __don't blame yourself for what happened. You couldn't __have prevented it. __That goes for everyone else as well. _

_I have seen Snape. He surely told you that I'm Harry's lover, didn't he? __But that isn't so bad. __He hasn't really hurt me so far. __Besides, he has allowed __me to write this letter. _

_The __closer__ I get to know Harry the more mysterious he becomes. I'm not sure, but I think perhaps I can convince him to help us fight against the Dark Lord. There is something very wrong in their relationship from what I have witnessed __up until now__. _

_Both behaved rather strangely as Harry took me along to the Death Eater assembly. I had the expression that the Dark Lord was __downright taken aback __to see his son. __The reason for their behaviour I haven't found out yet, __but I'll keep my eyes open. __And__ perhaps I can even get Harry to let me go. __At any rate I'll try everything possible to get out of here. _

_Harry __knows that Snape is a spy. __Please, warn him. __Though I have no idea if he is in any direct danger, he should be careful. _

_Mum and Dad, don't worry about me. I'm really fine and we will see each other again. I'm sure of it._

_Ginny_

After Molly had ended, there was an astonished silence.

"He rescued her from the dungeons? And allowed her to write a letter? Why on earth should he have done that?"

"Perhaps, for a change, he is a nice Death Eater," his twin replied without taking his eyes off the letter.

"What a lot of rubbish, George. But doesn't that mean that Ginny is fairly fine?"

Molly looked into Fred's hopeful face and felt how her worry and fear were displaced by relief for an instant.

"I hope so. Oh, Ginny, why of all people did it have to be my little girl?" she exclaimed and even if Ginny's words had given her new strength and the paralyzing desperation had left her, she couldn't help herself. She began to cry.

Bill laid a hand comfortingly on his mother's arm.

"Ginny is alive. She isn't in the dungeons anymore. And for that we all should be grateful. Judging by her letter she hasn't given up hope and we shouldn't either. We should…"

The front door slammed shut and little later Arthur Weasley entered the kitchen. He noticed their flushed and tear-stained faces and stopped dead in his tracks.

"What happened?"

"Dad! Where have you been?" Charlie asked simultaneously.

"I was at Godric's Hollow, talking with James Potter. I stayed overnight at his place. But what has happened? Molly, what's the matter?"

Worried Arthur stepped towards his wife. Molly looked up and held the letter out to him.

"Ginny. She has written."

Arthur's eyes widened. His lips formed the name of his daughter. Then he seized the letter. After a while he sank on the next best chair.

"I think we have to show the letter to Albus," he said finally and ran his fingertips over the parchment.

A loud crash caused them all to flinch. Without hesitation, Bill and Charlie grabbed their wands and carefully crept to the direction from where the noise had come. Arthur, Percy and the twins followed seconds later. Ron, who wanted to go as well, was held back by Molly, who was staring with a white face through the open door into the hallway.

Shortly afterwards Ron and Molly heard Charlie's surprised voice.

"_Hermione?_ What the hell are you doing here?"

As soon as Ron realized that his girlfriend had caused all the trouble he freed himself from his mother's embrace and raced into the living room. There Bill was just helping Hermione up from the ground. Obviously she had come via Floo powder to the Burrow.

"Hermione? What are _you _doing here?"

While Hermione was still fixing her clothes, she cast an angry look at him.

"If I had known that you would not be happy to see me, I surely wouldn't have come."

"I didn't mean it like that, Hermione! Of course I am glad you came," Ron said quickly, went to his girlfriend and hugged her tightly.

"Hermione! How nice to see you again."

After Molly had greeted Hermione as well, Arthur sent a message to Hogwarts. Half an hour later the Weasleys, except for Ron and Hermione, set off to Hogwarts. On account of the request of the Weasleys there would be held an Order meeting soon.

Ron and Hermione on the other hand went into Ron's room and talked about Ginny's letter. With a thoughtful expression in her brown eyes Hermione shook her head.

"I don't understand it. It doesn't make any sense! Why should the son of the Dark Lord fight against his own father? How can Ginny come to such an idea?"

"I don't know. But I'm glad that he has allowed her to write and if it's true, that he hasn't hurt her so much, and Ginny hasn't written it only to calm us down, I will be grateful to him forever; even if he is a Death Eater and the Dark Lord' son. The question is only what Ginny understands by 'he hasn't really hurt me'," Ron said and sighed.

Then he looked at Hermione.

"Do you think she is right? That it really wasn't my fault?"

"Oh, Ron. Of course it wasn't your fault. How can you think that?" Hermione said and inched closer to Ron.

"How is your arm, by the way?"

"Apart from still hurting a bit, it's all right again. The healing potion worked rather fast," he said and smiled slightly.

In the next moment his smile disappeared, however. He put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.

"Do you believe that we'll ever see her again?" he asked sadly, not sure if he wanted to hear an answer.

* * *

As the Order of the Phoenix had gathered in Hogwarts and Albus Dumbledore had told that Ginny Weasley had written a letter, the eyes of all present focused inevitably on the parchment that Albus were holding in his hands.

Albus cleared his throat and read aloud Ginny's letter. The following silence was broken by Severus Snape.

"He knows that I am a spy?" he asked appalled.

Quieter, he added,

"How did he discover that?"

Albus nodded.

"It seems so, although it's rather irrelevant how he found it out. I wonder, however, why the young Lord didn't expose your secret. To come back to Ginny's letter, it doesn't give us much information, unfortunately. But if Ginny is right with her hunch and she really should manage to convince the young Lord to change sides it would provide us with an immense advantage.

He would be a fountain of knowledge. Let alone his power that surpasses even Voldemort's according to Severus. With his help we could actually win the war. In any case we would have a better chance by far than at the present moment."

"That is absolute nonsense! He is the son of Voldemort! Why should he fight against his father? Perhaps he has forced the girl to write that letter!" Alastor Moody said.

"Why should he do something like that? He would achieve nothing with it."

"How should I know? It is hard to believe, however, that he should treat a prisoner so courteous. That doesn't make any sense, Albus."

"No, it doesn't. But it is pointless to think about that. We have no choice as to wait and to see what will happen. Severus, did you already find a trace of where the missing students are kept prisoner?"

Severus shook his head.

"I hadn't much time so far to search the dungeons. But my work as a spy is over now anyway," he said in a bitter voice.

To his surprise, Albus raised one eyebrow.

"Why should it be over, Severus? The young Lord didn't betray your secret and if he had wanted to do so, he would have done it long ago. Therefore I don't think that you are in any immediate danger. Furthermore, your information is much too valuable as that we could carelessly give it up."

While Severus still was trying to decide, whether Albus was right with his assessment of the situation, Albus inclined his head thoughtfully and then looked over to the Weasleys.

"Have you written to your daughter yet?"

"No. Arthur insisted upon showing you the letter as soon as possible," Molly said with a sidelong glance to her husband.

"Why?"

"I've wondered if Ginny could help us. If the young Lord has allowed her to write that letter, she could perhaps try to ask him if he knows where the missing students are."

Arthur stared at Albus.

"Are you out of your mind, Albus? What if he gets angry? What if he hurts Ginny then for real? That you didn't take into consideration at all, did you? Have you forgotten what Severus told us just yesterday? He tortured those Muggles. Even the children!

Moreover, the Death Eaters will surely not be afraid of him without a reason! Or do you think that all those stories and rumours about him are not true?"

With crimson face Arthur suddenly turned to Severus and added,

"And you told us Ginny looked like she had been hit! No, Albus, I won't allow you to endanger her even more than she is already!"

"I don't know what to believe anymore. But it would be worthwhile to try it, Arthur. It would be Ginny's choice," Albus said in a calm voice.

"You think that a fifteen year old girl can decide such a serious thing?" Alastor asked rather skeptically.

"Yes, and if Ginny could persuade him to allow her to write a letter, then I don't see why she shouldn't manage to find out something that could help us. So please write to her that we are missing five students and ask her, if she could try to find out what happened to them, Molly."

Molly nodded hesitatively while Arthur still was angrily shaking his head.

"But know let us speak about something different. We still have to decide what we'll do about that list Voldemort wants to have," Albus Dumbledore said and let his gaze wander questioningly over the gathered Order.

"Why don't we just give this list to Voldemort? If he wants to attack us separately, we only have to avoid staying in our houses alone. We could move to Hogwarts, couldn't we? There is place enough in these lovely walls. And concerning the information: we only take information that can't harm us or we come up with some," James Potter suggested, and the majority of the members nodded in approval.

Albus agreed.

"Good, then we'll do it as James said. I think it would be the best if we would begin to write the list now, so that Severus can give it to Voldemort as soon as possible."

* * *

It was the singing that woke her. Ginny opened her eyes, rolled over and listened, completely amazed. Never before had she heard such beautiful and moving singing. As she realized that it had to be Harry's phoenix, she wrapped herself in the blanket and went over to the other room.

There she found Harry standing at the open window. He leaned against the wall and stared out into the park, while stroking over the black shimmering feathers of his phoenix with one hand.

Ginny paused and wondering where he might have spent the night, she regarded Harry, who hadn't noticed her presence yet. Finally she started moving.

"Harry?" she asked timidly and going towards him, she prayed that he wouldn't be angry with her anymore.

Slowly he turned around. His face was expressionless as he looked at her. Then he reached for something that had lain on the windowsill and went to her.

"Here, the letter is for you," he said and held it out to her.

Ginny was suddenly wide-awake. Fear caused her heart to thud painfully against her chest.

She took the letter and ripped it open.

_Dear Ginny,_

_Ron, Hermione __and Luna are fine. Apart from Ron who broke his arm nothing happened to them. __But you, __Ginny! __Is everything really all right, __my darling? __We are all so __worried about you. _

_It's hard to believe that __the young Lord treats you decently. Oh, Ginny, I wish I could fetch you out of there and you would be in safety now. __But you'll see, we'll come up with something, Ginny. Don't give up hope. The Order will find a way. __Regarding your teacher, he knows. He'll be careful. _

_Ginny, with you, five other students went missing in the attack. __Albus asks you, if you could try to find out if they are still alive and where they are kept prisoner. But please only do that, if you are __absolutely__ sure that it isn't dangerous for you. __Don't risk your life for them, do you hear me? __I could not bear it if I were to lose you, Ginny. _

_I hope that you'll receive this letter. We __sent it with his phoenix, which returned to us __after we had come home from Hogwarts. If the young Lord allows it, write us back as soon as possible, will you? _

_Take care of yourself, my little one, and be careful. __Never forget where you are. And don't endanger yourself needlessly. Somehow everything will turn out all right._

_We love you_

_Mum_

They were alive! Nothing had happened to Ron, Hermione and Luna! With glowing eyes, Ginny looked up.

"Thank you, Harry. Thank you, that you gave the letter to me," she said and clutching the letter to her, the blanket nearly slipped away from her. That reminded her that she still hadn't dressed. While Ginny went back into the bedroom, the young Lord silently gazed after her.

As Ginny had emerged out of the bathroom and one of the house-elves had brought her a light blue robe, she sat down on the bed and reached for the letter a second time.

How much the letter meant to her, probably no-one could imagine. And to know that her brother, Hermione and Luna were fine, made her just happy and yet she suddenly felt how burning tears welled up in her eyes.

Quickly she blinked them away and concentrated on what her mother had written. Somehow she had to help the missing students. Only too well she remembered her cold, wet cell in the dungeons, the horrible fear which she had had, the tortured wizard who had been murdered by the Death Eaters.

The thought that her classmates were completely at the mercy of the Dark Lord's followers caused her to shudder. She herself had had plenty of luck – something that her classmates certainly hadn't had.

Thoughtfully she gnawed at her lip. Should she ask Harry for help? He had given her the letter. She knew that he hadn't needed to do it. And he had neither demanded anything in return, nor had he opened the letter before and had read it. She just wanted to stand up as she heard steps. Harry sat down on the bed next to her and with one hand he lifted her chin up.

"Tell me everything you know about the Order of the Phoenix."

Ginny froze. But a look into his cold eyes led her to suspect that she hadn't misheard. Frantically she searched for an answer.

"Why do you want to know this?"

She had hardly spoken these words, as she bit her tongue. What a silly question. As if she didn't know who he was.

"Tell me. I could so easily force you."

Incredulously, Ginny stared at him. She didn't want to believe that she had been so wrong about him.

"Please, let go of me. You are hurting me," she whispered.

"Tell me."

His voice now had a dangerous undertone and Ginny felt fear rising in her.

"No, no…"

Panic seized her, but under no circumstances would she tell him the few things she knew. She would neither betray her family nor the Order.

Harry let go of her chin and grabbed her shoulders instead. Desperately, she began to struggle against Harry's too tight hold, but Harry was a great deal stronger than she. He pushed her onto the bed and held her slender wrists above her head.

Motionless, she lay beneath him. Unable to budge, she stared up into emerald eyes.

Time seemed to be standing still.

She felt his breath on her face, felt his heart pound just as fiercely as her own. How long he held her, she didn't know, but gradually his grip loosened. The coldness in his eyes abated. Something akin to regret flared up in them. Abruptly he let go of her and stood up. He took a deep breath and said quietly,

"I'm sorry, Gin. Forgive me."

Ginny sat up and could only nod. She trembled, waiting anxiously for what would happen next.

Harry turned around.

"Come," he said and went to the door.

Ginny followed him. As she realized, however, that he wanted to leave his chambers, she involuntarily stopped. He would not bring her back to the dungeons, would he?

"Ginny."

She looked up. Harry observed her.

"I merely want to show you something. Come."

At the last word his voice sounded pleading. Hesitantly, she went to him. To her boundless relief Harry led her into the park.

While they were silently walking along one of the pathways, Ginny tried to find a reason for Harry's contradictory behaviour. But she quickly gave it up. She just knew Harry too little for being able to understand him. Casting a sidelong glance at Harry, she wondered whether she should be afraid of him. What if he wouldn't let the matter with the Order rest? On the other hand, he had asked her to forgive him.

With an inaudible sigh she followed Harry through a little archway shortly afterwards. Astounded, she stared at the magnificent dark red roses.

"It was my mother's garden," Harry said softly.

"It is beautiful," Ginny said and looked at Harry questioningly.

Harry nodded. Then he averted his eyes from the roses and gazed at her.

"Ginny, I've asked you about the Order because I want to kill Voldemort. That's why I'm thinking about a plan. But for that I need to know all facts and options."

While Ginny was still trying to absorb his unexpected remark, Harry stepped to her and seized her hands.

"Please, trust me, Gin. Tell me, what you know."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

Ginny took a step back.

"_Why not?_ You are the son of the Dark Lord! It's hard to believe that you want to kill him. And even if, how shall I know to what other purpose you would use the information? I would betray my family and the Order and that I just can't!"

Her anger vanished as swiftly as it had come. As she realized that she had screamed at him, she flinched. She was dependent on Harry and his goodwill and this she had just forgotten.

"Don't be afraid. I…"

Harry stopped and she looked up, scared. But she couldn't find any hint of anger in his face.

He seemed to search for words and while they stared at each other silently, she suddenly knew deep in her heart that he wouldn't hurt her. From where she had such knowledge she couldn't have said but she was certain.

"Why do you want to kill your own father?" she asked calmly.

Harry's eyes darkened. Merciless hate flashed in them. His grasp around her hands tightened.

"He isn't. He murdered my mother," he whispered, let go of her and turned around.

Ginny's thoughts raced through her head. Not only Harry's reaction last night was a lot more intelligible to her, but now she also knew the reason for his tense relationship he had with his father. Instinctively she sensed, however, that this wasn't everything by far. There had happened more. Whatever had taken place then, it had traumatized him and the wound hadn't healed until today.

She wondered what his childhood had been like, without a mother and left alone with the knowledge that his father had murdered her. Did he have anyone at all, who had taken care of him? Her next thought upset her. Did he perhaps even witness the murder of his mother?

The compassion she suddenly felt, was so great that she was incapable of speaking at the first moment. Then she laid a hand on his arm.

"I'm so sorry, Harry," she said quietly.

Harry covered her small hand with his own and gazed down at her.

"Will you help me?"

Ginny kept silent, regarded the roses.

"If you're against the Dark Side, then why did you torture the Muggle family yesterday?" she finally asked.

Harry, too, gazed to the flowers. Only after a while he answered her.

"Since the day he….killed my mother, nothing mattered to me anymore. Nothing had any meaning to me anymore. I existed, but I didn't live. But you changed this, Ginny. You have revived my feelings and my memories and have reminded me of my oath to take revenge on Voldemort.

You have to understand that I never again came near him since then. But to find a possibility to kill him and to have more knowledge to come up with a plan and to not only defeat him but as well his followers, I have to know what his intentions are, what he is thinking," he said and looked at her.

"I couldn't refuse as he asked me to torture them, Ginny. Or else he would have known immediately that I have no intention whatsoever to help him conquer the world. But so he only suspects it."

Ginny nodded thoughtfully. Then she took a deep breath.

"All right then. I'll tell you everything I know about the Order of the Phoenix," she said.

For the first time since she knew Harry, a genuine smile lit his face up.

"Thank you, Gin."

But Ginny raised her hand.

"I have also a request, Harry. My mother has written me that, apart from me, five other students went missing as well in the attack and I wanted to ask…Could you…Could we try to find them? Or do you know where they are?"

"They'll be in the dungeons. We can help them when Voldemort is dead. It would be by far too dangerous if we tried to rescue them now."

Desperate, Ginny shook her head.

"If we have to defeat him first it can be too late for them! They could be dead then! Is there nothing that we can do, Harry?"

"I don't know. The problem is that we can't attract attention. Voldemort doesn't trust me and if he should find out…at the moment I don't have a brilliant rescue plan. I have to think about it. Come, it's already late. You can tell me about the Order at breakfast or better said at lunch and perhaps something will occur to us how we can help your classmates."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

After lunch Harry and Ginny returned to the park. While they were walking slowly along the shores of the lake and discussing what they should do now, Ginny was seized once again by a feeling of unreality. Still a part of her could not really fathom that she, together with the young Lord, was thinking about a way to defeat the Dark Side.

And that she had indeed told him the few things she knew about the Order. But now there was no going back. She had decided to trust him unreservedly. Thoughtfully looking at the glistening water, she said,

"Since we need help from the Order anyway, we should go to Hogwarts as soon as possible. Then we can develop a plan together with the Order."

Harry stopped in his tracks and looked at her.

"Don't you think that it is a bit dangerous for me to walk straight in there? When they recognize me, they surely won't welcome me."

Against her will Ginny had to smile,

"No, probably not. I think it would be best to speak to Albus Dumbledore first. We shouldn't have much difficulty convincing him that you are on our side. And then…"

"You believe that it will be so easy to convince him? That the great wizard who resisted Voldemort for so long will trust me?"

"He will listen to you, Harry."

Harry gave a quiet laugh.

"But trust me, he won't. Be that as it may, I think we could risk it to sneak out of the castle for a short time. I only hope that Dumbledore will really agree to make common cause with me."

"At any rate, he will listen to you. But regarding the other members and my family…" Ginny said and stopped.

She foresaw difficulties. She knew that all powers of persuasion would not help either with some Order members. And her family surely also would not incline readily to trust Harry.

"Somehow we will manage it. Once Dumbledore is on our side, the others will follow him," Ginny said and cast a sidelong glance at Harry.

"You said earlier that you already had an idea how we could defeat the Dark Lord."

Harry shook his head.

"I have thought about different possibilities. But in my opinion it would be most promising if we managed to smuggle the members of the Order into the castle, sometime in the night or early in the morning. No-one would expect an attack within the fortress. We would completely surprise Voldemort and his followers. Above all it has the advantage that we could defeat the entire Inner Circle at the same time, too."

Ginny sighed.

"The plan is good. But to get the members of the Order and my family to go willingly into the castle will be everything but easy. They will say that it is a trap. And how do you actually want to get them into the castle?"

"That is no problem. There are various ways. First we'll have to convince the Order. Everything else will turn up," Harry said and added after a moment,

"If you see your family again, will they let you go back with me? We can't afford Voldemort getting suspicious. And if you are not there anymore he will surely wonder where you have disappeared to."

"I know, Harry. I'll come back with you, no matter what my family says."

To her astonishment Ginny realized that she really meant it. Whatever would happen when they would go to the Order, she would return with Harry.

"What if they try to arrest me? That could get rather precarious, especially, if they are many to attack me. Otherwise, I could surely escape. But then we would have to flee together."

"You need not fear an attack, Harry. Dumbledore would never allow such thing."

"I don't know him, Gin. And I will neither trust him nor will I rely on him."

Harry's face turned cold and as he spoke now his voice had an icy edge.

"Everyone can betray you, even if you trust them."

Ginny paused and looked at Harry.

"You don't have to trust everyone," she said understandingly.

"But you could start with trusting me, Harry."

A strange expression appeared in Harry's emerald eyes. It was impossible to interpret it.

"Do _you_ trust me?"

It was a justified question.

"Yes," she said slowly.

"If I didn't trust you, I hardly would have told you about the Order."

With difficultly she withstood his gaze.

"Don't you hate me?"

"Why should I hate you?"

"I raped you."

Ginny averted her eyes and looked at a little butterfly that flew from flower to flower.

"Did you? You've saved me from that terrible Death Eater; you fetched me out of this cold awful dungeon. You were gentle to me – something that my captor would never have been. You never tortured me, you never hit me and you allowed me to write the letter to my family."

She looked up at Harry and gravely said,

"You have given me back hope, Harry. Do you know what this means? No, I don't hate you. And I trust you, Harry."

Suddenly she smiled.

"If I can trust you, you can trust me_,_ as well."

Standing close to each other, their eyes locked. Finally Harry inclined his head.

"Then I will try to, Ginny."

They walked on, and for a while, they sauntered silently through the park. Ginny hung onto her thoughts. Only gradually she truly became aware that she would see her family again; perhaps not today or tomorrow, but certainly sometime in the next days. With a light heart she walked with Harry towards the fortress that even in broad daylight seemed to be gloomy.

As they approached, Ginny's eyes fell on a black-haired woman, who was hurrying across the lawn.

In the next instant she stopped and dropped to her knees. While she didn't budge, Harry marched towards the stranger, grabbed her arms and yanked her roughly close to himself.

"Bella, how nice to see you," Harry said in a silky voice.

The woman flinched imperceptibly.

"My Lord," she replied softly.

As Harry lifted her chin, Ginny saw the fear in Bella's dark eyes.

"You surely know where the students of Hogwarts are kept prisoner, don't you?"

"Yes, my Lord. They…they are in a cell in the southern dungeon, next to one of the torture rooms, my Lord."

"I see. Thank you, Bella. You may go," Harry said, releasing her.

Bella curtsied deeply, stepped back and rushed away in the opposite direction.

Ginny looked at Harry and shrunk back unintentionally when he turned to her.

"So, now we at least know where your classmates are held prisoner," Harry said.

"What did you do to her to make her be so afraid of you?"

"Let's say I wasn't as gentle with her as I was with you."

"Why? What did she do to you?"

"Nothing. She did nothing to prevent it."

"To prevent what?"

"The murder of my mother."

Harry's tone warned her not to ask more and so she was silent. The previous evening was still fresh in her mind.

When they reached the castle, a house- elf awaited them already. The elf had hardly told them that the Dark Lord wished to speak with his son as Harry nodded wordlessly and went to the stairs. With an uneasy feeling Ginny followed him. She was indeed not bent on meeting the Dark Lord a second time, but since she was curious and as she admitted to herself also worried about Harry, she didn't ask him whether he could not bring her to his rooms beforehand. And Harry didn't suggest it either.

Shortly afterwards, they entered the study of the Dark Lord. Voldemort was sitting behind a tremendous desk made from black wood and while Harry stepped to him, Ginny stayed in the background, hoping that Voldemort would not notice her.

"You wanted to speak with me?" Harry asked.

The Dark Lord looked at him silently. Then he imperceptibly tilted his head.

"Yes, Henry, I did. For today I planned a little attack in Hogsmeade. My followers shouldn't get out of practise, after all. And you shall fight at my side, Henry.

Together we will be invincible, and if the Order of the Phoenix hurries to the rescue of the villagers we will finally make it clear to Dumbledore and his pitiful Order that they will never win the war.

Today, however, I want to capture as many of Dumbledore's fighters as possible. If we should succeed in minimizing the Order so far that it is unable to fight anymore, the rest of them should easily give up when they know that the life of their family members and friends depends on their decision."

"As you wish. I think it should be amusing," Harry replied in a cold voice.

The Dark Lord smiled.

"I do not doubt that. Meet me in two hours in the great hall."

"I will be there, Father."

Harry had hardly closed the door behind them when Ginny turned to Harry.

"We have to warn the Order!"

The grip with which Harry seized her arm was painful.

"Be silent!" he hissed and dragged her forwards.

Ginny stumbled, but steadied herself again. She heard voices, approaching steps and called herself a fool. Seeing Harry the two Death Eaters bowed and remained in this position until they had passed them.

"Do you think they heard me?" Ginny asked as soon as they were in Harry's chambers.

"No, I don't think so. They were too far away," Harry said and went to his desk.

"Come. As a precaution, you can write a short note. Who knows, whether Snape managed to inform the Order."

After Ginny had written a few lines, Harry took the letter, gave it to his phoenix and opened the window.

In the meantime Ginny thought of the forthcoming fight. Hesitantly, she asked,

"Harry, you won't kill anyone, will you?"

"If I can avoid it, then I won't. Furthermore, he wants to take prisoners; you've heard him.

And if all goes well, we can try to sneak out of the castle after the attack. If we capture many people, Voldemort will be busy with torturing them, probably the whole evening."

Glad, that they would go to Hogwarts already today, Ginny was about to nod as a terrible thought occurred to her. She froze.

"What if my family is taken prisoner? If he kills them, while we are in Hogwarts?" she asked in a shaking voice.

Expressionlessly, Harry looked at her.

"We will see," he said finally.

"In the evening we still can decide whether we go to Hogwarts or not. To think about this now is pointless."

That might be right, but for Ginny it was impossible not to think about the fact that her parents and brothers would be also present at the fight.

As Harry began to hiss, she was distracted. Seconds later his snake slid into sight. The reptile had obviously hidden under the table. After a brief conversation that Ginny just found eerie, the little snake disappeared in the direction of the door.

"What did you say to her?" Ginny wanted to know.

"I asked Diamond to find out in what condition your classmates are. Perhaps we can help them, after all," Harry said, opened one of the drawers of his desk and fetched out a black shining wand.

"I thought you didn't need a wand?" Ginny asked, while forbidding herself to hold out high hopes. Hopefully the snake would return soon and bring them news.

Harry put his wand into one of his pockets, turned around and shrugged with his shoulders.

"No. Not normally. But if I have to fight for long periods of time, it is easier with a wand. Otherwise I quickly tire."

Suddenly Harry's face darkened.

"He wants to test me and I don't like this thought at all."

It took a moment until Ginny realized of what Harry was speaking.

"Why would he do that?"

"I told you that Voldemort doesn't trust me, Ginny. He thinks the fight will show if I am on his side or not. Who cares? I can't do anything about it.

By the way, can you make me a rough sketch of Hogwarts, Gin? If we really go there today, I want to know how I can escape, if something should go wrong."

Ginny nodded and shortly afterwards she bent over a sheet of parchment. While she was trying to draw the sketch as accurate as possible, she casually asked,

"Why does the Dark Lord call you 'Henry'?"

She had noticed it yesterday already and she had wondered about it.

"My mother called me thus. Voldemort, however, didn't approve the name, so he called me 'Henry' instead," Harry replied and studied her drawing.

"Are there any other exits?"

"Wait, Harry. I haven't finished yet."

After Ginny had put her quill aside, she explained her sketch to Harry. A soft hissing interrupted them. Watching how Harry picked his snake up, Ginny could hardly curb her impatience. Finally the incomprehensible conversation between Harry and the little reptile was over.

Harry looked at her.

"Two of your classmates have been killed. They tried to flee. The other three students are alive. They have been tortured, however."

Shocked, Ginny clapped a hand to her mouth.

"Please, Harry. We have to rescue them! Otherwise, they will be killed as well! I could never forgive myself if I didn't try everything to help them. Besides, do you remember the Muggle family? The two little children? We have to help them, too, Harry!"

Wordlessly, Harry stared at her. Then he stood up.

"Well all right then. We will help them. As far as the children are concerned, we'll have to find out first where they have been brought to. Come, we must hurry. Voldemort doesn't appreciate it at all if you keep him waiting."

As they reached the dungeons, Ginny was seized by icy coldness that couldn't be necessarily put down to the fact that the air was damp here.

She inched closer to Harry and fought against the urge to turn around and to leave this place as quickly as possible. The screams, which were echoing through the dungeons, made her realize once more how just much luck she had had. Finally, Harry stopped before a cell and raised his hand. The door glowed shortly in a silvery light and then opened without a sound.

Ginny swallowed and followed Harry inside.

In a corner she spotted two girls sitting on the ground. One of them was holding a little girl in her arms. She seemed to be unconscious. At their entrance, the older ones looked up. Their eyes were strangely dull.

"Ginny?"

The voice was raspy, and Ginny needed a moment to recognise the battered and bruised girl.

"Katie!"

Quickly, Ginny kneeled down and tried to hide her shock.

"Are you able to go? Come, we'll bring you into safety."

Katie and the other girl, whom Ginny now recognized as Cho Chang, flinched back as Harry bent down and picked up the unconscious child. Cho still tried to hold onto the little girl.

"No, you don't need to fear Harry. He is helping us. Come," Ginny said hurriedly and seized Katie's arm. Katie immediately froze.

"Come, quickly," Ginny urged and helped Katie up.

"Help, Cho. I'll manage," Katie rejected her help while she held onto the wall, swaying slightly.

Cho's face was ashen as Ginny finally succeeded in helping her onto her feet. She laid an arm around Cho's waist and supported her.

They left the cell and went slowly along the deserted corridor. Harry had stopped in front of an inconspicuous door and waited for them. Shortly before they reached Harry, Ginny heard footsteps. The black-haired woman, who they had met in the park earlier, came into view.

The little girl floated suddenly in mid air. Harry strode to Bella and pushed her brutally against the wall.

"You won't tell a soul that I took the prisoners from Hogwarts out of their cell, Bella. If Voldemort should ask after them, tell him they are all dead. You know what will happen if you disobey me, Bella," he whispered, and Ginny felt an icy shiver running down her spine.

"Yes, my Lord. I…I won't tell, my Lord."

"Good," Harry said and let go of her.

Then he picked up the girl again and kicked the door open with his foot.

"Quick, go upstairs."

Fearing that Cho would faint any minute, beads of perspiration formed on Ginny's forehead.

The spiral staircase was narrow. Every two steps they had to pause. Over and over again, Ginny cast a glance back at Katie, who went behind her. Katie's face also had lost all colour by now.

As they finally reached Harry's chambers, Ginny sighed, relieved. While she led Katie and Cho to the armchairs, Harry cautiously laid the small girl on the sofa. He took her hand in his and for one instant the girl was surrounded by a golden light.

"She will sleep now," Harry said and stepped to Cho, whose eyes were closed.

As the light of Harry's magic faded away, she looked up, blinking.

Katie flinched back in her armchair as Harry stepped to her. She looked to Ginny. Only when Ginny nodded, she allowed Harry to take her hand.

Having taken care of Katie, Harry straightened and said,

"Gin, I have to go now. If you need anything, call one of the house- elves."

Harry was nearly at the door as Ginny called him back.

"Take care of yourself, Harry."

Silently they stared at each other.

"I will," he said at last and left the room.

As Ginny turned around again, she noticed that Katie was looking at her.

"He is the young Lord, isn't he?" Katie whispered.

"Yes, but you can trust him. Believe me. He saved me, and without him you would be still in the dungeons," Ginny said.

She called one of the house-elves and shortly afterwards Katie and Cho were covered with warm blankets. While Katie and Cho were trying to eat something despite their exhaustion, Ginny looked after the child who still hadn't wakened.

"Anne is still so young, and the Death Eaters raped her, as well, Ginny. They hurt her so much and tortured her with the Cruciatus Curse," Katie said softly.

Ginny bit her lip. As she was cleaning the dried blood from Anne's face, she felt tears burning in her eyes. Her hand trembled with suppressed rage. She gently brushed a strand of hair out of Anne's face and sadly shook her head. What kind of a person would hurt an eleven-year-old girl in such a way?


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

As the glaring sun shone directly in his face, Arthur Weasley screwed up his eyes. He turned a bit to the side and cursed the heat that slowly became unbearable. The early afternoon was really not the ideal time to fight out a battle.

Nevertheless, he stood in Hogsmeade and waited tensely for their enemies to appear. If they would at least stand in the shadow, but far and wide, no shadowy place was in sight.

Sighing quietly, Arthur recalled the previous hours. After they had finished writing the list and the Order assembly had ended, he had set off to the Burrow with his family. They had packed the things they would need the most and shortly afterwards had stood anxiously in front of their house, not knowing when or if they would ever return. Back in Hogwarts they had just been busy to adjust to their new quarters as they had been disturbed by a black shining phoenix that had tapped its beak against the window.

As they had read Ginny's short letter, they had gone straight to Albus. Glad about the warning Albus had immediately alerted the Order. Though Severus succeeded in warning them most of the times, the spy, who had returned to the Dark Lord's headquarters after the assembly to deliver the demanded list, had had apparently no chance in doing so today.

Thanks to Ginny, however, they had been able to prepare for the today's fight. Despite the opinions of some Order members who had believed Ginny's letter to be a trap, Albus had prevailed. They had informed the villagers and had brought all those who hadn't wanted or couldn't fight to Hogwarts. That had been a half hour ago and still their enemies hadn't put in an appearance.

Nervously Arthur looked around. For a fleeting moment, his eyes met with James Potter's. Potter, who was standing shortly away from him, nodded briefly towards him and Arthur greeted him back. James and he had agreed that– if they survived – they would meet with James' friends, Alice Longbottom, whose husband was held captive in the Dark Lord's headquarter, Nymphadora Tonks and with the parents of the students who had been kidnapped or killed after the battle.

The thought caused Arthur to smile grimly. Yes, they would devise a plan. And then they would finally proceed to action and attack the Castle of Death.

Although Ginny's letters had given him certainty that his daughter was alive, nothing and no-one could ever persuade him that a follower of the Dark Side would treat his prisoners decently. How Ginny had managed to induce the young Lord's phoenix to deliver the letters to them, Arthur didn't know. But he knew his daughter. Ginny would have done everything to spare him and Molly pain. As much as he wanted to believe Ginny's words that she was fine, he just couldn't.

Loud shouts startled Arthur. He looked up and tensed. Their enemies had arrived.

While Arthur surveyed the newcomers, two figures in particular caught his eye. Of the Dark Lord, however, he hardly took any notice. It was the second wizard, standing next to him, who attracted his attention. He was young and tall, had raven hair and on his left shoulder a black phoenix was sitting.

_The son of the Dark Lord!_

The violent emotions and the helpless rage, which had been storming inside of him since Ginny's abduction caused him to throw all caution to the winds.

He neither heard the frightened scream of his wife, nor the warning shouts of his sons and some Order members. He was not even aware that he had begun to move and was running straight towards the young wizard who had made his daughter his mistress.

When he came nearer he noticed the cold emerald eyes that looked at him, expressionlessly.

"You! What did you do to my daughter? Where is she?" Arthur screamed beside himself with hate.

Seeing how the Dark Lord's heir held back a few Death Eaters with a gesture of his hand, he became even angrier. Without wasting any thought whether this was intelligent or not, Arthur stormed with raised wand towards the torturer of his daughter.

By now the rest of the fighters of the Order of the Phoenix had come closer, too. Within seconds both sides attacked each other. It didn't take long until the battle degenerate to a life-and-death struggle.

The Dark Lord cast the Dark Mark in the cloudless sky and leisurely went towards the leader of the Order of the Phoenix. As he laid eyes on the three white lilies and the glowing lightning bold that appeared next to his sign, a subtle smile flitted across his face. Certain of victory he waited for Albus Dumbledore's first curse.

In the meantime, Harry had easily overpowered Arthur Weasley. But before he could even think about a way to save Ginny's father, the red-haired wizard was seized by two Death Eaters. Harry, who had his hands full to fend off his ever increasing enemies, pressed his lips together as he realized that he could do nothing to prevent Ginny' father to be taken to the Castle of Death. Harry didn't even dare to look around anymore as he defended himself and simultaneously tried not to kill anyone. It seemed that every wizard and witch was out for him. It was surely not surprising, if you considered that the whole Order believed him to be Voldemort's son.

As a Killing Curse missed him by inches, however, it was over with his restraint. He fought for survival.

Soon it became quite obvious that the Dark Side would win the battle. Albus Dumbledore, who still was dueling with Voldemort, realized this as well. He had no other choice but to command the members of the Order to retreat. While his voice still was thundering over the place, the first already apparated. Instants later, only the Death Eaters, their prisoners and the dead remained. But they quickly disappeared as well.

As the wind wafted across the deserted village and the plain, only the two images in the sky reminded of the battle that had just taken place in Hogsmeade.

* * *

Looking at the three sleeping girls, who had all found a comfortable place in Harry's big four-poster bed, Ginny ran a hand over her forehand. After she had treated Anne's wounds, she had taken care of Katie und Cho, who had both insisted upon a bath and had needed her help.

To see what had been done to them had hit her hard. Perhaps from there her exhaustion stemmed. Torn between sympathy and anger, she felt guilty.

Ginny knew that it was unreasonable, knew that a few hours would not have made a difference and yet she couldn't stop thinking of how she and Harry had walked through the park. As if they had had all the time in the world, she thought bitterly and shook her head. For Anne, Katie and Cho it _would _have made a difference.

With a deep sigh she walked out and quietly closed the door behind her. While stepping to the window, she suddenly remembered where Harry had gone to. She could not fathom that she had completely forgotten the fight in Hogsmeade. She opened the window and leaned out. Now she could see the castle's entrance better.

The minutes passed unbearably slow. Imaging all kinds of terrifying visions, she worried about Harry and her family and prayed that nothing would happen to them. And then she finally spotted the returning Death Eaters. The Dark Lord and Harry walked ahead. As soon as Ginny caught sight of Harry indescribable relief surged through her. She didn't notice that she smiled.

In the next moment she froze. There, in the middle of the figures, dressed in black, she saw her father, who was dragged forwards by two Death Eaters. Frantically, her eyes flew over the crowd, but she didn't see more red-heads, so that she quickly looked at her father again.

_Why? _Why did it have to be her Dad of all people?

Fear overwhelmed her, made her dizzy. Ginny had to lean against the wall. She closed her eyes and tried to take a deep breath. As her dizziness gradually lessened and she glanced out of the window, her father and the Death Eaters had disappeared.

Shortly afterwards she heard the door open and she spun around.

"Harry! They have taken my father prisoner!"

"Yes, but not only your father. Others as well. There will be an assembly held in a quarter of an hour. Very probably to torture and kill the prisoners."

"No! We have to do something! We have to rescue them!"

"We can't do anything."

"Harry…we can't just allow…We must do something! Please, we must rescue my father!" Ginny shouted out, wringing her hands in despair.

"We can't do anything, or what do you imagine? That we march straight into the Great Hall and rescue every prisoner while Voldemort and about two hundred of his closest followers watch us without batting an eye? That would be really an excellent plan and so promising."

Ginny recoiled so violently as if Harry had hit her. But Harry didn't pay any further attention to her. Instead he went to one of the bookshelves. He fetched a little black book with some strange silvery signs on its cover and began to read it, after turning some pages.

Unbelievingly, Ginny stared at him. She couldn't understand how he had the audacity to read a book while she was trying frantically to find a possibility how to save her father. There had to be a way! Ginny refused to believe that there was nothing that they could do. They had to do something!

"Harry, we…"

"Be quiet," he ordered, without turning his eyes away from his book.

With difficulty Ginny swallowed the words she had wanted to say. All of a sudden she realized that – although she and Harry had come close and had slept with each other – she didn't know him at all. What did she know about him?

Harry wanted to kill the Dark Lord. He wanted to take revenge. How should she know if the prisoners' lives meant anything to him? Perhaps he didn't care what happened to the prisoners. After all, he was the young Lord. He had been raised in the deepest darkness.

The thought caused her to pause. But why then had he freed her classmates from the dungeons? Why had he seen to Anne's, Katie's and Cho's injuries? Ginny just wanted to dare make another attempt to speak with Harry as Harry closed the book fiercely and put it back into the bookshelf.

"I'll come back in a few minutes," he said, looked at her briefly and strode to the door.

Then he was gone. Ginny went slowly to an armchair and sat down. Deeply disappointed with Harry, she felt completely left alone. What should she only do? She had to help her father! But her thoughts went around in circles. Ginny drew her knees to herself, wrapped her arms around them and fought against the rising tears. There was nothing she could do. She had not even a wand, after all.

Abruptly Ginny jumped up and ran to the door. Harry had said that the assembly would take place in a quarter of an hour! Desperately, she rattled at the door handle. Yet it was in vain. The door was locked. What, if Harry would not return? When he wouldn't take her along to the assembly?

The thought to be confined to Harry's rooms, while her father ran the risk of getting tortured and killed in the Great Hall, was terrible. Harry couldn't do that to her! She had to be present. She had to…

But Harry didn't come. Ginny leaned against the door and pressed her cheek against the wood. _Where had Harry gone to?_

After an eternity she heard someone approaching. She stepped back just in time as the door opened.

"Harry!"

But Harry didn't even look at her. He walked so fast that she almost had to run to keep up with him. Halfway, Ginny stopped dead in her tracks. The fear suffocated her. How should she calmly stand by when her father was tortured and killed? How should she bear that?

"Harry! Is there really nothing…nothing we can do to rescue my Dad?"

Harry turned around and came to her. Ginny was startled by the icy cold expression in his emerald eyes.

"We'll see," he said quietly, grasped her arm and dragged her along. Awkwardly, Ginny stumbled behind him.

As they stepped into the hall shortly afterwards every conversation died away. The Dark Lord stood up and looked at them.

"You are late, Henry."

"Forgive me, Father. It will not happen again," Harry said coldly and slightly inclined his head.

The Dark Lord impatiently waved it aside.

"Will you finally sit down? We have waited long enough for you."

Ginny positioned herself next to Harry's throne and let her eyes wander around the hall. But she couldn't see her Dad anywhere.

In the meantime, the Dark Lord continued to speak,

"Today we were as successful as we have not been for a long time. As I have predicted we were invincible! With the help of my son we will destroy the Order of the Phoenix and will raze Hogwarts to the ground. And then nothing and no-one will hold us back anymore! Soon we will conquer the whole world and rule it. Today's victory was only the beginning! But now let us celebrate our victory! Bring the prisoners!"

While a few Death Eaters left the hall, the Dark Lord turned to Harry. Ginny saw how a smile appeared on his face, but this let him look only more revolting.

"I am proud of you, Henry. You have held your own extremely well and contributed much to our victory."

"Thank you. But I only did my duty."

"Although it was strange that the Order was already awaiting us, don't you think, Henry? I wonder how Dumbledore knew it."

Involuntarily Ginny gasped for breath, but Harry's face was expressionless as he met Voldemort's piercing gaze.

"That was indeed strange. Perhaps there is a spy among your followers, Father," Harry replied calmly

"Among my followers?" the Dark Lord repeated with a drawl.

"Yes."

Silently they looked at each other. Only when the Death Eaters returned with the prisoners, Harry and Voldemort ended their soundless fight.

To her great dismay Ginny discovered Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks among the prisoners. Lupin as well as Tonks had been her teachers once, and she liked both of them very much. But when she spotted her father every thought of Lupin and Tonks faded. Suddenly, her Dad raised his head.

_"Ginny!"_ he shouted and began to fight against his bonds.

After that, one of the Death Eaters hit him brutally in the face and Arthur Weasley fell to his knees. If Harry's hand hadn't closed around her arm, Ginny would have run to her father. She opened her mouth to call for him. But she couldn't utter a sound.

"Arthur Weasley is the father of your mistress, Henry? How interesting," the Dark Lord remarked and looked from the red-haired prisoner to the girl who was standing next to his son.

"Why don't you show Mr. Weasley how we deal with our prisoners and torture him, Henry? I am sure that Miss Weasley will admire your skills very much."

Horrified, Ginny stared at Harry. Surely, he would not…

With rigid face Harry raised one hand. Ginny's father fell to the ground and began to scream.

"No! Harry, stop it, please, stop it!" Ginny whispered and tried to wrench her arm free from Harry's grip.

But Harry held her only tighter and forced her down on her knees. He was hurting her. Sobbing, Ginny averted her eyes. She couldn't watch her Dad being tortured by Harry. Even if she hated herself for such a weakness, she just couldn't.

His agonizing screams cut her to the bone. The feeling of helplessness, which had seized her in the dungeons a few days ago, returned with all its might. The coldness surrounding her caused her to tremble like a leaf. And while tears were incessantly running down her cheeks, Harry's betrayal hurt her like a deadly wound. How could she ever have trusted Harry? How could she ever have believed he would help her? How could she have been so blind?

_And she had told him everything that she knew about the Order. _That she would never forgive herself.

With each scream of her Dad, her hatred of Harry increased. Ginny didn't see what Harry did to her father. Only when the screams broke off and the Dark Lord began to speak again did she look up.

"Your little performance was extremely enjoyable to watch, Henry. Why don't you kill him now?"

* * *

As the Order of the Phoenix came together in Hogwarts, a quiet rumble of thunder could be heard in the distance. But none of the wizards and witches paid any attention to the approaching storm. A few made half-hearted attempts to comfort and to encourage each other that everything wasn't lost yet, though it seemed the hope had left every one of those present. They all were deeply grief-stricken over the loss of so many of their members.

"We have to take finally action! I won't let Remus just die!" James Potter shouted, glaring furiously at the assembled people.

"James, calm down. We can't do anything for the time being. Let us wait for Severus' return. He will surely have news," Albus Dumbledore said resignedly.

"News? What news will he have, do you reckon? That Voldemort has suddenly decided to set all prisoners free?"

James stood up and vehemently shook his head.

"No! It's enough! We have waited long enough! We have finally to do something and to put an end to the war. We can attack this wretched castle! It is not impossible! We only have to risk it. I tell you: we can make it! We only have to try it! And I will do it. I'm not afraid. And if I should be killed, then so be it, but I will rescue my wife and Remus.

Have you courage enough to come with me? Or are you all too cowardly to challenge Voldemort?

"I will come with you," Sirius Black said.

"I will, as well," Bill and Charlie Weasley announced at the same time.

"No, that is much too dangerous! I couldn't bear it if I lost you too!" Molly cried and desperately looked at her oldest sons.

"Mum, our sister and our father are held captive there! We have to rescue them," Bill said with calm determination.

"Yes, we will go, too." Fred and George said.

"And I also will go," Alice Longbottom said.

"We will as well," the Changs and the Bells nodded who were beside themselves with worry for their abducted daughters.

More and more people declared their willingness to come along and James Potter could hardly hide his glee. Finally, they were listening to him! Finally, he had the majority of the Order members on his side!

James took a step forwards and shouted,

"Then it's decided! We'll attack Voldemort's headquarters!"

"James, that is sheer madness! You would kill everyone!" Albus Dumbledore protested.

It was futile, however. James and the remaining Order ignored him. James Potter had seized control of the Order and voluntarily he would not give it up again. He would attack Voldemort's castle and no-one would prevent him from doing so.

"What we now need is a good plan!" James continued.

"Any suggestions?"

* * *

Ginny's lips moved, but she remained silent. No scream escaped her mouth. She was literally frozen. That Harry raised his hand, she didn't notice. She only saw the glaring green light that was so typical of the Killing Curse. Spellbound she followed the ray of light. Seconds later it hit her father who was lying on the ground.

The Dark Lord smiled and leaned back.

"You all have seen my son. I expect nothing less from you. Enjoy yourselves!" the Dark Lord commanded.

His followers bowed. The prisoners were grabbed and the Death Eaters began to torture or to rape their victims.

"Father, please excuse me. I will return to my chambers now," Harry said.

"Yes… of course, if you wish, Henry. I'm sure your girl will entertain you enough, won't she?"

Harry laughed softly.

"She will indeed."

Harry's words seemed to come out of a thick fog. Though Ginny understood them, they had no meaning to her at all as she stared at her Dad's lifeless body. She hardly felt it as Harry yanked her up and dragged her out of the hall.

Her legs seemed to walk by themselves as they silently went through the corridors. Only as they had nearly reached Harry's chambers did she wrench her arm out of Harry's loosened grasp and look at him. Tears were streaming down her cheeks.

"You killed him! And I trusted you! I hate you! _I hate you!"_ she screamed, raising her arms.

She wanted to hit him, wanted to hurt him. But she didn't succeed since Harry grabbed her wrists and pressed her close to him.

"Ginny! Listen to me! He isn't dead!" he whispered.

"How could you do that? I trusted you and you just killed him!"

"Gin! Do listen to me! He isn't dead."

Ginny struggled against Harry with all the strength she was capable of and kept screaming at him. She had understood not one of Harry's words. She could only think of the awful green light that had killed her father.

"Be quiet!"

Harry shook her by her shoulders, but Ginny merely struggled fiercer. Suddenly, Harry let go of her and slapped her hard across the face. Staggering, Ginny fell to her knees and gasped for air. Her cheek burned like fire. Blinded with tears, she stared on the ground and when Harry knelt beside her and took her by the shoulders, she didn't struggle anymore. Nothing mattered to her any longer.

"Ginny, your father isn't dead. Please, listen to me," he whispered forcefully and gently lifted her chin up. Blinkingly, she stared into his emerald eyes that had lost any coldness.

"Wh... What?"

"I didn't kill him. It was only a deception."

Ginny shook her head.

"You're lying. I saw the green light," she said flatly.

"Yes, the light was there. But it was not the Killing Curse. I altered the spell. It's Dark Magic and highly complicated. You have to alter the spell during the casting of it. I won't explain every detail to you, now, but it is possible. Believe me, Ginny. Please, trust me. Trust me."

"No one can do such a thing."

"I can. Please, Gin. Believe me."

"I want to see him. Bring my Dad to me," she whispered.

Harry nodded, stood up and helped her up.

"Come. First I'll bring you back to my rooms."

Shortly afterwards Harry urged her to sit in one of the comfortable armchairs and ordered a house-elf to bring a cup of tea. As soon as the little creature had brought the tea, Harry walked out of the room again to return to the hall.

Left alone, Ginny stared at the opposite wall and clutched the teacup with both hands as if she had to hold on to the cup, but she didn't drink.

_Could it be true? _Had Harry spoken the truth? But how should that be possible? No one was capable of such magic. And yet she clung to Harry's words like someone drowning to a piece of flotsam.

As the door finally opened, Ginny leaped up so abruptly that the cup dropped to the floor. Harry closed the door behind him and after making a sweeping movement with his hand, a figure floating in mid-air became visible. One moment later, Harry laid Arthur Weasley on the settee.

Ginny fell to her knees beside her father. _And he was breathing! _He looked like he was sleeping. She ran a trembling hand over his forehead. He was warm, not cold.

"Wake him up," she whispered in a voice that didn't seem to belong to her.

Harry shook his head.

"No, Ginny. He needs his sleep. It wouldn't do him any good, if he would get upset now. Don't worry about him. I cast a healing charm on him. Tomorrow he will be feeling better. He hasn't suffered any permanent harm from the torture."

Ginny stood slowly up and Harry added,

"I think we should set off to Hogwarts now. No one will miss us as long as Voldemort and his followers are busy celebrating their victory."

Stunned, Ginny stared at Harry. Then she suddenly burst into tears. With one step, Harry was by her and pulled her into his arms.

"I am so sorry, Ginny. It must have been terrible for you to see him getting tortured and to believe that I've killed him. I'm sorry."

But Ginny couldn't stop crying. In the last hours just too much had happened. All the feelings that had bottled up in her since her abduction, the boundless fear for her father, the pain and the hate as she had believed that Harry had murdered him, swept her along like a wave.

Harry held her very close and whispered over and over again,

"I'm so sorry. I didn't know what else to do."

It took a long time until Ginny's weeping ceased and she calmed down. Exhausted, she leaned against Harry and mumbled,

"Why didn't you tell me that you could do such magic?"

As Harry didn't answer, she raised her head. She was astonished to see that his eyes were filled with pain and there was yet something else: a vulnerability that touched her deeply.

"How could I have told you? Though I knew that such magic existed and I have altered some minor spells in the past, I never before tried to alter the Killing Curse. As I said earlier, it is Dark Magic and extremely dangerous."

Harry was silent for a moment. At last, he said,

"Your father attacked me. I couldn't prevent him from being captured. So I had to come up with something to help him despite it. That you would never forgive me if your father was killed, I knew very well. I knew that Voldemort would torture the prisoners and that then would be the highest chance to save him. That's why I read the book, Ginny. I wanted to assure myself that I wouldn't do anything wrong. But I needed some practice before and so I went to the dungeons. The first time it went terribly wrong. That was a further reason why I didn't tell you anything. I wasn't sure whether it would function or not."

Ginny stared at him.

"You kill people only to try out a spell?"

"It was necessary. Otherwise I would have killed your father earlier. Perhaps there was a better possibility, I don't know. Remember that I didn't have exactly plentiful time to invent a brilliant concept. Anything could have happened, anyway. What if Voldemort had wanted to kill your father himself? Or if he hadn't given the order to me but to one of his followers?

Would this have happened, I would not have been able to help your father. Moreover, I had to practise the spell on someone. Do not waste your pity on the Death Eaters. They deserved it."

"Did they? Do you know that it terrifies me when you act so icy cold, Harry?"

"I was raised as Voldemort's heir, Ginny. Don't forget that. Don't think that I never killed before or tortured anyone. I have…"

Ginny sadly shook her head and interrupted him swiftly.

"No, Harry. Don't say anything more. I don't want to know what you did. It's not important anymore. You've saved my father's life. That I'll never forget, and you saved me, Harry. Forgive me that I doubted you. I should have trusted you."

As Harry laid a hand on her cheek, she flinched. Then she felt the tingling sensation of magic.

"I'm sorry that I hit you. But I didn't know another way to make you listen to me. You were so…"

Harry broke up and they stared at each other.

"Gin, what are you doing to me?" he whispered, and while Ginny was sinking in Harry's emerald green eyes, she couldn't believe it that just a short while ago she had hated him with all her heart. Now, however, everything was forgotten; everything else had become unimportant. But it was impossible for her to love the son of the Dark Lord, wasn't it?

All of a sudden, Harry let go of her and stood up. The magic of the moment was destroyed and Ginny was jolted back to reality.

"Come, let's go to Hogwarts. Or it will be too late."

Ginny nodded.

"Yes, of course. I'll write Katie and Cho a note."

While writing, she asked Harry after the two children of the Muggle family, and she also mentioned both of her teachers.

"Diamond is searching for the children. We'll know soon where they are held captive. As far as your teachers are concerned… I'm sorry, but we really can't do anything for them. It was already difficult to get your father out of the hall. Not all the Death Eaters were busy with the prisoners."

Ginny sighed quietly.

"But when V…Voldemort notices that my Dad has…disappeared? Won't he become suspicious then?"

"He'll have little interest in a dead person, Ginny. Besides, after the party there probably will be several dead people. Nobody will notice if anyone is missing. But now, come. Have you ever flown with a phoenix, by the way?"


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Looking at James Potter, Albus Dumbledore sadly shook his head. As he tiredly leaned back in his chair, any twinkle in his usually bright blue eyes had disappeared. The feeling of having failed everyone who once had and who belonged now to the Order of the Phoenix was overwhelming. He knew that not a single plan – no matter how brilliant and well thought out it might be – would ever work.

It was too dangerous and just impossible to attack Voldemort's headquarters. He had also toyed with this thought. But he had always come to the same conclusion.

Voldemort had done everything in his power to ensure that no-one would succeed in conquering the Castle of Death. The fortress was surrounded by powerful wards which could not be destroyed just like that.

He didn't doubt that he would be able to take down the wards with the support of his Order, but for this you needed time. And exactly that was the difficulty. During an attack they would not have any time. Of course Voldemort and his followers would be alerted immediately by the wards and since each attacker would be a downright ideal target for the Death Eaters, the Dark Side would truly have an easy job in warding off any attack.

Knowing Tom Riddle, he had very probably charmed the wards in such a way that any spell could only get out but not in.

Tiredly, Albus closed his eyes. He knew that he had to convince the Order members and especially James Potter to abandon this lunatic plan. He felt, however, that he hadn't the strength anymore to fetch back his claim to leadership and put James in his place. And to try to persuade James with some arguments was a futile attempt, however valid they might be.

James was obsessed with the thought of rescuing his wife, whom he assumed was in Voldemort's headquarters. He would hardly attach any value to his words. For that he hated him too much. Albus sighed inaudibly. Perhaps he _should _have acted otherwise years ago when Lily Potter had disappeared. Perhaps he should have just pretended to believe James.

Then he would have gently broken to him that they could do nothing to help Lily and James would not have a reason to hate him today. But now it was too late.

He couldn't undo his behaviour at that time anymore, nor could he take back his words he had said.

The voices that grew ever louder caused him to open his eyes again, though he didn't pay any attention to the hot debate about the most promising strategy. His gaze wandered over the gathered witches and wizards and sorrow rose in him.

Involuntarily he remembered what everyone had been like when they had been his students and he had still taught them. The years disappeared and for a fleeting instant he saw them in front of him: carefree children who were laughingly running through the corridors.

Whatever had become of them? he wondered and looked over at James and Molly.

So much pain, he thought. How much everyone had suffered already. There wasn't one among them who hadn't lost a loved one.

He was powerless against the enormous wave of guilt that suddenly rushed over him. He should have prevented the war, should have protected the little children with their individual nature, their laughter, their dreams and innocence.

But he had failed. He hadn't been capable of saving Tom Riddle, who had been his student once as well, neither from himself nor from the darkness by which the young wizard had been so fascinated.

Nor had he succeeded in defeating the Dark Lord and thus ending this horrible, senseless war; a war that had cost and destroyed countless lives.

And now they also had to fear Tom Riddle's son! The hope that the young Lord could be drawn to their side, which had arisen in him since he had read Ginny's letter were definitely shattered after today's fight. It had been him, after all, who had captured most prisoners.

Albus thought of the sign the young Lord had cast in the sky and mused about its meaning.

Why had the young wizard chosen lilies and a lightning bold as his symbols of all things? It seemed strange to him. Actually, he had expected the young Lord would adopt the Dark Mark or at least something similar. But lilies?

Well, one thing was for sure. Today he would not solve the riddle anymore.

With a shake of his head Albus forced himself to think of the present situation. He let his eyes wander over the Order members who had been left to him and listened to their discussion. Hearing the hidden desperation and fear in their voices, he suddenly sat up. Grim determination appeared in his eyes.

They would not have a chance against Voldemort and his son. He had to stop them from attacking the castle. Yes, it was even his duty to forbid them this ridiculous plan which had not the slightest prospect of succeeding. He wouldn't leave the leadership to James without a fight and he wouldn't allow him to lead his Order into catastrophe.

Albus was on the verge of opening his mouth when there was a loud knock and the door was ripped open. To his great surprise it wasn't Severus, however, who entered, but two figures, enveloped in black cloaks. The faces of the two newcomers were hidden behind heavy hoods.

But the smaller of them suddenly dropped his hood and thus revealed a familiar face and a cascade of red hair.

"Mum!"

_"Ginny!"_ Molly Weasley screamed and jumped from her seat.

While Ginny and her mother were in each other arms, the present wizards and witches were perplexedly gaping at them. Then, as they had finally registered who had just come through the door, five redheads stormed towards their little sister.

"Ginny!"

Bill lifted Ginny up and whirled her around. He just couldn't believe that he was holding his sister in his arms, after having thought that he would never see her again a short time ago.

"Bill! Let me down!" Ginny said with a laugh and a moment later she was nearly crushed to death by the twins.

"Ginny, my darling, are you alright? Do you need Poppy to check over you? Oh, Ginny, finally I have you back! But how on earth did you manage to escape?" Molly sobbed happily, looked at her daughter with beaming eyes and embraced her again.

"Mum, I am alright. Really," Ginny said and detached herself from her mother's arms.

"But I didn't manage to escape," she continued and turned around.

"Harry brought me."

For one long moment all seemed petrified. Then the majority of the Order members leaped to their feet more or less swiftly and pointed their wands at the motionless figure, whose presence they all had completely forgotten. With startled and unbelieving faces they regarded the stranger.

"What!" Bill exclaimed and pointed his wand also at Harry.

"No! He saved me! And he saved Dad's life! He wants to help us!" Ginny screamed at her brothers who slowly advanced at the wizard they believed had tortured their sister.

Molly stared at her daughter.

"Arthur is alive? Goodness thanks!"

"What? How?" the Weasley brothers stuttered with confused faces and obviously they no longer knew what to do.

"Help us? The son of the Dark Lord? Impossible!" some Order members muttered.

"I think first of all, we should let Miss Weasley calmly tell us everything that has occurred since her kidnapping. And if it is true that you helped Miss Weasley and saved Mr. Weasley's life you are welcome, too, Mr. Riddle," Albus' firm voice rang out, whereupon every noise immediately ceased.

Harry stepped inside and said,

"Thank you Dumbledore, but …"

"And if that is a trap, Albus? How did he even get through the wards? Shouldn't we have noticed something? What if Voldemort is currently standing outside?" James Potter shouted.

James had hardly finished speaking as Alastor Moody already strode to the window to gaze out. Other members nodded fearfully.

"He can't be in Hogwarts, can he?"

"And if he is? Then we are doomed!"

"Silence!" Albus ordered and looked at Ginny and Harry.

"The wards which surround Hogwarts haven't fallen, nor were they destroyed. Had that happened, I would have noticed it. But it is indeed curios. How did you come through the wards?"

But before Harry could have answered, James ran towards him and raised his wand.

"It is a trap, isn't it? The only sensible thing would be to curse you immediately!"

"James Potter! Sit down and…"

Albus stopped and looked puzzled at the scene in front of him.

As soon as he had pronounced the name of James Potter the heir of the Dark Lord had shrunk back so violently that his hood had dropped down and had exposed an ashen face and emerald green eyes.

The likeness between James and Riddle junior was bewildering. Albus looked from one to the other and could not believe it. In Hogsmeade he hadn't been able to pay more than a fleeting attention to the appearance of the young Lord, but now he studied him extensively and tried to reckon his age. A possible explanation flashed through his mind and he caught his breath.

James on the other hand didn't notice the likeness between the young wizard and himself. While the bright light of the magic candles fell directly on the face of the person opposite, he only saw the emerald green eyes of his disappeared wife. Spellbound he stared at those eyes and didn't even realize that he dropped his wand.

So many years he had prayed, wished and desperately hoped to see Lily's eyes again. To spot them in the face of a young wizard shocked him to the core, however. He opened his mouth and closed it again. He couldn't utter a word. But he _had _to know. He didn't believe for a second that it was a mere coincidence that this boy had the same eyes as his Lily.

"Who is your mother?" James Potter croaked out with some effort.

A moment it was quiet. Then a faint answer could be heard.

"Lily Potter."

"I knew it! I knew that Voldemort abducted her! But she is alive, isn't she?" James screamed and seized Harry's arms.

_"She is alive, isn't she?"_

"She…died when I was seven years old."

James staggered back.

"No. That cannot be," he murmured distraughtly and raised his arms in a beseeching gesture.

"Lily..."

But before his legs could give way under him, Sirius Black was at his side. He put an arm around James' shoulders and supported him.

"James..." he said helplessly and broke off.

Silently he led his friend to the next best chair and gently pushed him down on it. While Sirius left his arm where it was and tried to comfort him with his touch, James buried his face in his hands.

Never again. He would never again see his Lily. But was it really the truth? Couldn't the young wizard have lied?

The tiny hope which rose in him, died nearly immediately, however. Why should Lily's son lie? He didn't have the slightest reason for it. It was so clear what had happened. Voldemort, that bastard, had managed to abduct Lily. He had raped her and she had born him a son.

_Oh, Lily, why of all people did it have to be you? _

Why my Lily?

Thoughts struck him forcibly. But he fended them off. They were too terrible. He didn't want to imagine now what things the Dark Lord had done to Lily, didn't want to envision how she must have suffered.

He couldn't. The pain was just too great. To this very day his hope had kept him alive, but now he had nothing anymore; except the certainty that he had lost Lily forever. And this certainty would slowly kill him. He knew it.

If only he would have seen Lily again for one more time! If only he would have heard her silvery laugh for one more time! What wouldn't he have given for that. And now it was too late, he thought bitterly. Everything was too late.

James clenched his hands and gave a loud sob.

In the meantime Ginny looked at Harry and shivered slightly. His face was completely blank. Slowly she hated it to see him like that, so lifeless and cold. He stood there like a marble statue.

Worried she stepped towards him, reached for his hand and squeezed it. Looking in direction of her brothers and her mother who were watching Harry like a hawk and who didn't seem to be very delighted about their holding hands, she shook warningly her head and hoped that no-one of her family would try to attack Harry.

"Everything alright?" she whispered.

Harry returned her gaze and nodded. But nothing stirred in his face.

"Gin, which one of these people is Peter Pettigrew?" Harry suddenly breathed.

Ginny was so surprised at this question that she promptly murmured back,

"He is sitting next to the empty chair. On the left. The wizard with the blond hair."

Shortly afterwards she wondered why Harry had wanted to know this. She knew Pettigrew only by sight, but from her parents and brothers she knew that he didn't play an important part in the Order. So why should Harry be interested in him? She couldn't imagine any reason, though at the moment actually nothing made a sense to her.

She might have discovered that Harry's mother had been the disappeared wife of James Potter, but that still didn't answer her question of what had happened in his past. Had Lily Potter been kidnapped as well? Had she felt the same horrendous fear that she had felt just a few days ago?

Ginny didn't get round to pursue her thoughts further, however. James Potter jumped up from his chair and came towards them.

"What happened to Lily? How did she…Did she suffer much?"

His voice almost broke, but when Harry didn't immediately react he screamed at Harry,

"Answer me for God's sake! What happened to her?"

Ginny, who had sensed how Harry had frozen the first time James Potter had asked after Lily, felt anger rising in her. Before she realized what she was doing she shouted at James,

"How dare you to speak to him like that? You weren't the only one who lost someone and suffered. Harry lost his mother! And he was only seven years old then! Whatever happened has traumatized him enough, so don't press Harry so much!"

As Ginny became aware of the indignant glances, she reddened. She couldn't believe that she had just screamed at James Potter, who was not only a high-ranking Order member, but a very skilled Auror as well.

"Ginny! Apologize to Mr. Potter! At once!" Molly said and gave her daughter a severe look.

Glancing at James Potter remorsefully, who blinked at her with a rather nonplussed expression on his face, she did as she was told. She knew, after all, that Mr. Potter had loved his wife very much and to discover that she wasn't alive anymore must have been a shock for him.

While James was still struggling for words, Albus Dumbledore said,

"If we continue to scream at each other like this we won't make any headway at all. I think we all are curious about what has happened. Why don't we all sit down and try to shed some light on the matter?"

He looked from James to Harry and gestured to a chair. Harry nodded and together with Ginny went to the table.

James still remained standing rigidly for an instant. Then he returned also to the table.

As soon as everyone had taken a seat Albus began to speak,

"Perhaps it would be the best, Mr. Riddle, if you..."

Harry's cold voice interrupted him.

"No. Don't call me by this name. Just address me as 'Harry'."

Albus Dumbledore nodded slightly and eyed the young wizard searchingly. After a brief hesitation, he asked,

"Is Voldemort your father?"

Some wizards and witches exchanged uncomprehending glances. On others it slowly dawned why Albus had asked this question.

But Harry was silent and Ginny reached once more for his hand. Finally Harry answered quietly,

"No, he is not my father. As my mother was abducted, she was already pregnant."

With a jerk James Potter turned his head and looked enraged at the young wizard who was sitting obliquely opposite.

"What the devil are you trying to imply by that? Lily would never have betrayed me!"

Harry looked at him. Only now James realized that Harry's eyes were not those of his Lily, but instead were chilly, foreign eyes.

"She never did betray you. I am your son. My mother loved you very much, you know."

The last part Harry added in an almost soft voice, while simultaneously raising his hand.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Harry had hardly finished speaking, when a loud terrified squeal was heard. It came from Peter Pettigrew, who wriggled on his chair like a fish out of water. Sirius Black, who could not grasp Harry's just pronounced allegation, turned, irritated, to his friend and asked,

"Peter, what the hell is wrong with you?"

"I chained him with my magic. Since I have finally the chance to kill him, it would be a real shame, if he would escape from me again, wouldn't it?" Harry answered instead of Peter with a calm icy voice.

"_My son!"_ James whispered whose face had lost all colour and who obviously hadn't understand a word of what had been just said.

"Kill him? Why would you want to kill him? He didn't do anything to you!" Sirius exclaimed at the same moment.

"Peter Pettigrew betrayed my mother to Voldemort."

Harry's reply jolted James out of his paralysis.

"What? No, that's impossible. He was with us the morning Lily disappeared," James protested and looked from his frightened friend to the young wizard who had turned his world upside down.

"I don't believe him! Never ever is he James' son! And Peter shall be a traitor? Why would he have betrayed Lily? Furthermore, we still don't know how he came through the wards!" Alastor Moody threw in, who apparently wasn't taken in the slightest with being in the same room as the Dark Lord's heir.

Albus nodded thoughtfully.

"Perhaps we should try to answer question after question. Otherwise it will only dwindle into chaos and we will not make any headway at all. Who Harry's parents are, is easily ascertained. We would just need a bit blood from him. Would you agree to this?" the old wizard asked and looked at Harry.

Although the similarity between Harry and James allowed only one conclusion in his opinion, it would nevertheless be better to clear up any doubts. Apart from that, inheritance sometimes played curious games. He for example had resembled his father little but for that his great grandfather all the more.

So he expectantly regarded the alleged son of James. Harry returned his gaze and finally nodded.

"Why not? Does anyone have a knife by chance?"

Sirius reached into one of his many pockets and pulled out a small knife. Harry took it with thanks, slid the blade across his index finger and let the blood drop on the table.

Albus raised his wand and murmured,

"Parentes indica."

Around the red droplets of blood a glowing white light appeared that blinded every one present who were staring spellbound at the table. An invisible force began to write blazing letters in the air and as the brightness of the light slowly faded, two names remained behind:

_Lily Anne Potter _

_James Frederick Potter_

For one instant there was stunned silence. Then many of the Order members broke out into excited whispering and Alice Longbottom, who had been a close friend of Lily's, asked,

"But what happened then?"

Harry who had also stared at the table lifted his head and said,

"I don't know. I was too young to understand everything. Only years later I realized what my mother wanted to tell me with her stories. Ever since I can remember she told me stories about Hogwarts, the Marauders and the Order of the Phoenix. These stories were our secret. And though she impressed on me not to speak about it to anyone else, she took a tremendous risk. If I had ever said a word about our stories to Voldemort or the others, she would have been killed. The Dark Lord often came and played with me or taught me spells, as well as Bellatrix Lestrange and other high- ranking Death Eaters. I loved them and considered them my family.

I was a cheerful child and I was happy. Though I knew that something wasn't right, my mother saw to it that it didn't burden me. For my mother it must have been very hard then, but I didn't notice anything of it. While Voldemort taught me how worthless Muggles were and all those who didn't fight on our side, my mother taught me the exact opposite, of course without his knowledge. For me it was incredible fascinating to have so many secrets. I loved her stories and wanted to hear as many as possible. And she told them to me, regardless of the danger.

Nearly every story was about James Potter. She called him always Daddy. Voldemort, however, I was supposed to call Father. She told me that he wasn't my real father, but that I had to call him that and that he had killed my Daddy. But since I didn't understand it, it hadn't any meaning for me then."

"Lily said I was dead? Why? What only made her say that?" James asked unbelievingly.

Harry looked at him blankly.

"Voldemort is a master of deception and manipulation. Certainly he didn't find it difficult to convince my mother of your death. However he achieved it, she believed him.

Perhaps he didn't deceive her only in this matter, but also with regard to Peter Pettigrew. I don't know whether he truly had something to do with her abduction, but my mother told me he had betrayed her."

James turned to Peter and observed the frightened face of his friend who promptly squeaked,

"I didn't do anything, James! I didn't do anything! You will…not believe him, will you?"

"That's sheer insanity! That day Peter was together with us the entire time! How should he have betrayed Lily?" Sirius said and alleged the same pretext as James a while ago.

James' however stared at Peter. He didn't want to believe it. It couldn't be that Peter had had something to do with Lily's disappearance. It just _couldn't _be. But if Peter was innocent, then why did he evade his gaze?

James raised one hand and ran it tiredly across his forehead. His exhaustion prevented him from thinking clearly.

First this horrid battle, then the news that Remus had been taken prisoner and now he had discovered within shortest time that his wife was dead and that he had a son of whose existence he hadn't had the faintest idea.

And to cap it all, this son now claimed that one of his friends had betrayed Lily. Had Lily really accused Peter?

"Do you have here Veritaserum?" Harry asked coldly.

Albus Dumbledore nodded.

"I think we have indeed still a little rest left over. We have never questioned one of our members under Veritaserum, however."

Harry raised an eyebrow.

"Perhaps you should have done it."

"We don't have any traitors in our lines! Of this I assure you!" Alastor sharply replied and leaned forwards.

"I want to know the truth and you won't forbid it, Albus, neither you, Alastor. As long as there is the tiniest possibility that Peter had had something to do with Lily's abduction, I am for it," James could be suddenly heard and stood up.

He ignored the unbelieving and disappointed look Sirius sent him and stepped to a cabinet. He opened it and fetched out a little vial in which a tiny amount of a clear liquid was.

With his back to the others, he rigidly remained standing. Involuntarily he had remembered the day Sirius, Remus, Peter and he had vowed eternal friendship at the riverside of the Hogwarts Lake: a friendship which he just had betrayed with his statement.

But he had to know. He had to extinguish this gnawing doubt that Harry had evoked with his allegation. In addition, he didn't see a reason why Harry should lie.

He took a deep breath and turned around.

"You believe him, James?" Alastor asked bewildered and watched how James uncorked the flask.

"I…I only want to make sure of it. Besides, Harry didn't lie earlier, did he? So why should he do it now?" James replied defensively.

"You can't be serious, James! You cannot do that! It just can't be true," Sirius tried to dissuade James from his decision.

James cast a fleeting glance at him and stepped to Peter, who looked at him like an animal that had got caught in a trap and was unable to free itself on its own. His mouth formed sounds, but James didn't understand one word as indistinctly as Peter spoke. James wavered in his intention.

Harry took the decision away from him, as he stood up and went to him.

"I'll help you."

While Harry and James poured the liquid down Peter's throat who resisted them to no avail, countless members cast insecure, aghast glances in direction of their actual leader as if they expected Albus to say something against it, but the founder of the Order of the Phoenix didn't intervene.

In the meantime James put the empty flacon back on the table and asked reluctantly,

"Peter, did you betray Lily to Voldemort?"

"Yes," Peter said flatly.

James blinked. Then he realized the full meaning of Peter's answer. With a loud scream of rage he rushed at the wizard who had still been his friend a moment ago.

Perhaps he would have killed Peter, as furious as he was hitting out at him, but Sirius and Bill Weasley restrained him.

"Let go of me!"

"James! Be sensible! If you kill him, he won't be able to tell us anything anymore!" Sirius exclaimed and tightened his grip around James' arms.

"You can kill him later," he said grimly.

James stopped his struggling and nodded shortly, whereupon Sirius looked at him inquiringly.

As soon as Sirius had let go of him, James spun around to Peter and asked with gritted teeth,

"How…did…you…betray…Lily?"

Terribly battered and dazed from the Veritaserum, Peter answered in a monotonous voice,

"When I was in Diagon Alley one evening, Lucius Malfoy waylaid me. Together with two other Death Eaters he dragged me into a corner and told me the Dark Lord had taken a fancy to Lily and had given them the order to bring her to him. I should help them to abduct her. They didn't want a fight which could have warned the Order that Lily was their target and they wanted to prevent under any circumstances that the Order could have taken any precautions.

They forced me to steal James' hairbrush so that they would be able to make Polyjuice Potion and to tell them how to pass the wards which surrounded Godric's Hollow. I think it was Lucius who abducted Lily."

"So that's why she took her clothes with her," James moaned and buried his head in his hands.

"She thought it was me."

"Were you a spy ever since, Peter?" Albus wanted to know and tensely looked at Peter.

"No. Severus Snape's information was sufficient for them."

"Did you do the Death Eaters other services?"

"No."

While Albus nodded relieved, James raised his head and asked in a breaking voice,

"Why? Why did you do that? Why did you betray my Lily?"

"I had to do it. I had no choice. Otherwise they would have killed me."

"You had to hand my mother over to Voldemort? _You had to?"_

Harry was seized with white-hot rage. This stubby wizard had willingly helped to abduct his mother! He had brought disaster upon her! The hate swept Harry away. For a fraction of a moment the room was illuminated by a blazing, green light. Then Peter Pettigrew's lifeless body fell to the floor.

Quite a few Order members screamed out and again wands were pointed at Harry.

Albus sighed gravely.

"You shouldn't have done that, Harry. It would have been better to arrest him. You…"

Harry turned around and looked straight into Albus' face.

"This creature betrayed my mother, Dumbledore. And I absolutely don't care, if you endorse it or not. He deserved his punishment. But be it as it may we didn't come for Pettigrew, but because I need your help. I want to kill Voldemort. I can't do it alone, however. I can't fight against him and his followers simultaneously. But if you would distract his Death Eaters, I could take care of Voldemort."

"You want that we help _you?_ You've just murdered one of our members! Even if he was a traitor, your deed is nowhere near excused by this fact. You are a dark wizard!" Alastor growled threateningly.

"And you? Did you never kill anyone? You are an Auror, aren't you?" Harry remarked angrily.

"I killed, yes. But my opponents weren't helpless. Each and every one of them I killed in battle!"

"Please, do stop quarrelling! All of you can trust Harry! He has helped me and saved my life, as well as the lives of Katie, Cho and Anne! And…" Ginny suddenly interfered, who was incapable of bearing the hostility the Order showed to Harry.

"Katie is alive?" Mrs. Bell exclaimed and lifted her head jerkily. The Changs also looked hopefully to Ginny.

"Yes, Katie and Cho are alive. Harry rescued them. I'm sorry I didn't mention it earlier."

"Oh, thank goodness! But why didn't they come with you?"

Ginny quickly averted her gaze from Mrs. Chang and, seeking aid, she looked at Harry.

"The girls were raped and tortured. Currently they are recovering in my chambers. It would have been too dangerous to take them with us. Besides, they would have been far too exhausted," Harry said.

Deeply shaken, the Changs and Bells stared at Harry.

"Be grateful that your daughters are alive. The other two students were killed."

Professor Sprout, the head of Hufflepuff house, flinched. With tears in her eyes she whispered,

"We have to inform their parents, Albus."

Grief-stricken Albus nodded.

"Yes," he said.

"That we must…"

"We don't have much time left. We have to return soon. Will you help us now or not?" Harry interrupted him impatiently.

Albus cast a glance at James, who sat slumped together on one of the chairs, looked finally at Harry and said slowly,

"We have been fighting against Voldemort and his followers for twenty-three years. To this day we didn't succeed in defeating the Dark Side. And I have given up hope long ago that we will ever manage that. Should we ally ourselves with you, we could succeed, however. I'm quite aware of that.

But if we would decide to trust you and then had to find out that you deceived us we would all be in mortal danger. This risk we have to consider. Apart from that, Alastor is right. You are a dark wizard, who has no scruples to torture and kill. On the other hand you have helped Miss Weasley here and, according to her declaration, you also saved Mr. Weasley's life as well as the life of three other of our students. For this I thank you."

After a short pause he continued,

"Hence, I am inclined to support you with my Order. But first I want you to answer a question I have. You'll have to understand that I have certain doubts. Why do you hate Voldemort so much?"

While Albus was speaking, he tried to read the face of the young wizard. He had no success, however. Harry's face didn't reveal anything.

Albus knew how much depended on his decision, knew that they needed Harry's help and yet he had to be sure. What if Harry wanted to kill Voldemort only to seize power for himself? What if it was nothing than a daring venture for Harry?

"Does it really matter so much? Without Harry I would probably be dead! And my Dad, Cho, Katie and Anne as well! We have to do something! I have seen Mr. Lupin and Miss Tonks and the many other prisoners! We have to rescue them! Believe me, you can trust Harry!" Ginny exclaimed and looked beseechingly at the leader of the Order.

She wanted to continue, but Harry was faster.

"You want to know, why I want to kill Voldemort, Dumbledore? If you borrow me your Pensieve, I will show you. May I?"

Although it wasn't quite clear to Albus, what Harry intended, he nodded. Harry, who had noticed the magical object a while ago, went over to the table, on which the glassy bowl stood and stopped in front of it.

He closed his eyes and put his hand to his temple. Shortly afterwards Harry's hand glowed in a silvery light. He dipped it into the Pensieve and fleetingly touched the white-silvery surface the oval bowl contained.

He took a step back and made a strange movement with his hand. In the air a bright shimmering light appeared which expanded itself into a large square.

Then Harry sat next to Ginny and said,

"You all will be able to see my memories."

Something in Harry's cold voice worried Ginny. Spontaneously she reached once more for his hand. Harry squeezed it hard, but nothing stirred in his face. Ginny bestowed yet a long glance upon him, before she riveted her attention on the bright square. In the meantime a picture had appeared in the middle of the shimmering screen.

_Excited, the little boy ran towards the window. _

"_Mama! It's snowing! Look!" Harry shouted and pressed his forehead against the cold glass. _

_The young red-haired woman, who had sat in one of the chairs in front of the fireplace, rose and stepped to the window, too. _

"_Can we go into the park? Yes? We could have a snowball fight!"_

_With a soft laugh Lily put an arm around her son's shoulders. _

"_Perhaps tomorrow, Harry. First the snow must lie. Or else it will not even suffice for a single snowball."_

_Seeing Harry's disappointment, she tousled his raven hair and said, _

"_We will go into the park tomorrow. By then there will have fallen enough snow and then we can have as many snowball fights as you want."_

"_Promised?"_

_Lily bent down and gave Harry a kiss. _

"_Tomorrow, my little one."_

_Beaming with happiness Harry nodded and looked again to the snowflakes and tried to count them. A smile flitted across Lily's face. But in the next instant it disappeared. Frozen, she listened to the approaching steps._

_The door opened and accompanied by a few of his closest followers the Dark Lord entered the room. Harry spun around. _

"_Father! Aunt Bella! It has started to snow!" _

_While Harry flung himself into Voldemort's arms, Lily silently kneeled down. Even if she kept her head bowed, she didn't miss anything that happened before her. _

_Bellatrix Lestrange gave a loud laugh and hugged Harry close. _

"_Yes, we noticed it, too. But I fear you will not have time until tomorrow afternoon to go to the park. Your father has decided that you are to receive additional lessons."_

_Questioningly Harry looked over to Voldemort. _

"_Indeed, my son. I think it is time for you to learn the Dark Arts. You are now old enough. _

_Lucius, here, will teach you and…" _

"_No! He most certainly will not! Harry will never learn the Unforgivable Curses. I will not allow this!" _

_Astonished, Harry looked to his mother who had risen in the meantime and gazed at the Dark Lord challengingly. _

_In the presence of his father she had up to now rarely spoken a word, and if she had her voice had been always soft, nearly inaudible. He knew that his mother didn't like his father very much, although he didn't understand the reason for it. _

_But he knew about the Unforgivable Curses. His mother had told him about them and not only had she forbidden him to learn them, but he had also had to promise her never to use those curses. So he quickly said, _

"_I'm sorry, but I'm not allowed to learn them. I have promised it Mama." _

_Harry looked up at his father and startled flinched back. He had never seen his father so angry before. _

"_You! How dare you make Henry promise such things! Do you think you can prevent my son from becoming a feared dark wizard and my successor one day?"_

_The Dark Lord didn't shout, but his tone caused Harry to shiver._

"_Yes! I will prevent it! You will not turn my son into __a heartless, merciless killer! Never will he follow you, Voldemort! Nor will he ever be your successor!" _

_Stunned, the Dark Lord stared at the young woman. He had thought to have had broken her will completely. But as he now looked into her eyes that sparkled with anger he realized that he had been mistaken. Lily Potter had deceived him! And was indeed trying to bring his son up against him!_

"_Crucio!" _

_Lily's screams shocked Harry to the core. _

"_Mama!"_

_Harry wanted to run to his mother, but was held back by Bellatrix Lestrange and Narcissa Malfoy. _

"_No! Stop it, Father! Please stop it! Aunt Bella, help her! Aunt Cissa, make him stop!"_

_But however much he struggled Harry didn't manage to free himself from the women's grasps. __Crying, he kept beseeching them to stop the curse. Why? Why did his father hurt his mother? _

_As the Dark Lord lifted the curse after a while, Lily was lying motionlessly on the patterned carpet. She didn't stir. _

"_Mama! Mama!" _

_The frightened voice of her child gave Lily the strength to get back on her knees. She raised her head and said hoarsely, _

"_Harry, listen to me: Promise me that you never will follow Voldemort and that you never will kill Muggles and..."_

"_Be silent! If you…"_

"…_torture anyone. The Muggles aren't worthless and remember that I am also a Muggleborn witch…"_

_Voldemort, who asked himself what further lies this Mudblood had told his son, was meanwhile so beside himself that he shouted, _

"_Avada Kedavra!" _

_Seeing how Voldemort raised his wand once more, Harry, quick as lightning, leaned forwards and bit Narcissa in the arm. With a yelp she let go of him. Only driven by the thought of having to protect his mother, Harry lashed out so fiercely that he was able to free himself from __Bella's grip _and started to run. 

_The blazing green light hit him with incredible force. Everything began to spin around in his head. He couldn't breathe anymore and the last thing he heard, before darkness engulfed him, was, _

"_Harry! No!"_

_Lily dropped to her knees next to Harry and took him in her arms. She stared at the bleeding wound on his forehead, listened to his breaths. But Harry remained still, and didn't breathe. _

"_Harry," Lily whispered brokenly and couldn't understand it. _

_Harry could not be dead! That was impossible. Why didn't her spell work? She had been sure that she had done everything right, had been convinced that she had protected Harry effectively. Whatever had she overlooked?_

_Abruptly she leaped to her feet. _

"_You wretched bastard! You killed him!" _

_Blinded with tears Lily __flung herself at the Dark Lord and pounded her fists against him. _

_For all these years she had only lived because of her child, only for Harry she had survived day after day. For James' and her child she had endured everything, had suffered Voldemort's touches and had resigned herself to her fate. All her thoughts and efforts had been concentrated on Harry. Only Harry had given her life still a sense. But now everything was destroyed. Nothing was left to her. The wish to die became overwhelming. _

_But all of a sudden she felt magic surrounding her, warm and immensely comforting. Her vital force floated away, but Lily's heart was laughing. _

_The pain as the Dark Lord slapped her brutally on the face, she scarcely noticed. _

"_Mama!"_

_Lily staggered and fell. Seconds before she hit the edge of the table, she still heard the frantic voice of Harry. Never before had she felt such joy, never before had her smile been so radiant. _

_She had managed it. Her charm had functioned. Harry was living. _

_Unnoticed by them all, Harry had sat up. Without paying attention to the blood which was running down his cheeks, Harry stumbled to his mother and shook her by the shoulder. _

"_Mama! Wake up! Please, wake up! Wake up! Mama!" _

_But Lily didn't move. Harry stared at his mother and began to tremble. __Slowly the realization dawned on him. __Then he jumped up and riveted his gaze on Voldemort and his followers who looked at him completely consternated and screamed, _

"_You killed her! I hate you! I hate you all! I will kill you all! I hate you Voldemort!"_

_Narcissa extended her hands towards him and took a step towards him, but before she could have reached him, Harry dashed out of the room. _

The bright square glowed shortly and disappeared. Ginny sniffled and wiped away her tears. Only now did she notice that Harry was clutching her left hand far too tightly. He hurt her, but she didn't make any attempt to withdraw her hand. Looking at Harry, she bit her lips. He was rigidly gazing straight ahead. His face was as white as chalk. She wanted to say something, wanted to comfort him, but she felt choked with emotion. She couldn't utter a word as shaken as she was.

Judging by the silence that reigned in the room and which was only broken by James' quiet crying, the others present fared not differently. Sirius Black and Alice Longbottom still stared at the place where they had seen Harry's memories. Albus Dumbledore sadly regarded his hands.

"You survived the Killing Curse? But that is impossible! That is…How could that have happened?" an Order member finally dared to ask.

With incredible slowness Harry turned his head in the direction of the wizard who had spoken.

"I don't know. But the reason is rather unimportant at the moment, isn't it? Voldemort murdered my mother and for this he will pay. And I will kill him, with or without your help."

"I will help you," James said in a tearful voice.

Harry's and James' gazes met. For a long time they silently looked at each other.

That Albus nodded, neither of them noticed.

"We as well, I think we all agree to that?" Albus said and looked around.

In the faces of his Order members he saw guarded assent. And even Alastor Moody didn't raise any objection.

Although neither he nor Albus could rule out that Harry could turn into a second Dark Lord, once Voldemort was dead, both saw the chance to finally defeat Voldemort. Besides, it was quite possibly that the new found Potter would not follow in Voldemort's footsteps.

"Good, then listen. I have the following plan," Harry said with a dangerous glint in his eyes.

* * *

Approximately one hour later Harry and Ginny hurried through the dark, narrow secret passage way which wound along deep under the Forbidden Forest. That he had remembered the secret passage out of the narrations his mother had told him had been sheer luck. Undoubtedly it would have been much more difficult to get into the castle otherwise, if not impossible.

Despite his magical light that he had conjured up for Ginny and himself, Harry tripped rather often, but that might lie on the fact that his mind wasn't paying any attention to the consistency of the ground.

What on earth had possessed him to show them all what had happened? But he knew it. The hatred he felt for Voldemort and his overwhelming desire for revenge had been stronger than his fear to face his past. And he had known that Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix would allow themselves to be convinced only by the truth to ally themselves with him. He hadn't had another choice. Words alone would not have been enough. The Order would not have believed him.

Perhaps it would have been wiser to try to speak with Dumbledore first instead with the entire Order as Ginny had suggested it at midday today. The fight in Hogsmeade, however, had made that appear a minor matter.

To finally take vengeance on Voldemort had become his top priority. But now it was too late anyway. Even if he had not intended it, it had happened. He couldn't change it anymore and had to come to terms with it. What was most important was that he had managed to get the Order on his side.

That was the only good thing that the present day had bestowed on him. In the same moment as he thought this, he recalled the face of James Potter. The discovery that his natural father was alive had thrown him off balance. He still couldn't quite believe it, could not even say whether he was glad about it. It was a strange, indescribable feeling. He had a father whom he neither had ever seen nor knew. And yet James Potter was no utter stranger to him. His mother's stories had made sure of it.

"Harry, look out!"

Thanks to Ginny's warning he managed just in time to avoid a highly branched root. He ducked, stifled a curse and riveted his attention again on the way.

After a while Harry and Ginny left the underground passage and Harry called Rainbow who had waited for them. The phoenix trilled a short greeting and moments later they flew through the starlit night.

Ginny clung to Harry and cast a last glance over her shoulder. If she strained her eyes, she could barely spot the lights of Hogwarts in the distance. She had found it more difficult than she had thought to separate again from her mother and brothers who absolutely hadn't wanted to let her go. It had been Albus Dumbledore who had persuaded them of the necessity so that her family had been forced to agree in the end.

Yes, she had to fulfill a task, Ginny thought. She, too, would contribute to their plan having success. And yet she could not forget the expression on her mother's face.

The arrival in the Dark Lord's headquarters suppressed any thought of her mother and brothers for the time being. As they had reached Harry's chambers, Ginny went to her Dad. Relieved, that he was sleeping peacefully, she gave him a goodnight kiss and then looked after Katie, Cho and Anne. As quietly as she could Ginny left the bedroom again and closed the door behind her.

While taking Harry's wand from the table and transforming one of the armchairs into a second bed, she agonized over how she could help Harry. Since he had explained his plan to the Order, he hadn't spoken a single word.

And now he stood rigidly at the window and stared into the park. The lack of any emotion scared her.

Hesitantly she stepped to him, put her arms around him and snuggled up to his back.

"Everything will be all right, Harry. We will defeat Voldemort. Believe me, Harry. Everything will be all right," she whispered.

Harry turned to her and looked at her desperately.

"It was my fault, Ginny. If only I had said to Voldemort that I would learn the Unforgivable Curses, nothing would have happened. And we could have escaped some day. We would have found out that Dad was still alive and together we could have become happy. We only would have had to wait a few years. Then I could have left the castle. I could have simply taken her along!"

Ginny felt Harry tremble and hugged him tighter.

"You were far too little to understand the situation with all its consequences. You couldn't have known it, Harry. It was not your fault."

Harry shook his head.

"She did it on purpose. Of her own accord she never spoke in Voldemort's presence. But on that day she did. And why? Because she didn't want _me_ to learn the Dark Arts! And what have I done? I learned them, Ginny. I used them, I tortured and killed. I broke my promise to her. It was senseless, everything was so senseless."

"Harry…"

"She wanted to get me to hate him. She tried it. She told me what Voldemort had done, but I didn't understand. I didn't understand it!"

"Harry! Listen to me."

Weighing her words carefully, Ginny continued,

"Even if you had understood it, do you think this would have made a difference? Your mother wanted to protect you and to prevent at any costs that you would follow Voldemort. She did what she thought to be right. It was her decision, Harry."

"I should have protected her."

"You were a child! To protect your mother was not your responsibility, Harry!

She knew what she did. She was a very brave woman, who loved you more than anything else. Don't you think that she would want you to be happy? She would not want you to blame yourself for her death."

Ginny was silent for a moment and then said in a firm voice,

"It wasn't your fault, Harry. You didn't abduct her and you didn't kill her. It was Voldemort who did that. It was his fault and not yours. Believe me, Harry, your mother would tell you the same if she would be here now."

Harry looked at her doubtfully.

"Oh, Ginny. I miss her so much."

His voice broke and he gave a sob. He hugged her fiercely to him and buried his head in her shoulder. Ginny held him fast and ran a hand over his hair, murmuring soothing words. She was glad that he was at last weeping. Though it was merely an assumption, she was rather certain that Harry had never cried for his mother. Not capable of processing the traumatizing events Harry had buried all his hate, his sadness and his feelings of guilt which weighed so heavily on him, deep down in his soul.

Ginny thought of the little child who, radiant with joy, had watched the snowflakes and burning tears welled up in her eyes. How lonely and lost Harry must have felt in the following years, betrayed by those he had loved.

"Hold me, Gin, hold me."

"I am holding you, Harry," she said quietly.

Harry straightened and stared at her. He bent down and kissed her; first gently, then more passionately. She flung her arms around Harry's neck and kissed him back as fiercely as he kissed her. Harry clung to her as if his life depended on it. His face glowed feverishly.

The today's happenings seemed to exact its toll. But Ginny didn't care whether Harry was shortly before breaking down as he shoved her in direction of the bed.

She gazed into Harry's emerald eyes and realized that she loved him, realized that he needed her and even if it would not lessen his feelings of guilt and desperation, she could at least comfort him a little.

And she needed Harry as well. She wanted to forget that they had to fight tomorrow, forget that tomorrow could be their last day.

She only wanted to feel Harry's lips on hers, Harry's hands on her body. Everything else had become unimportant. Nothing was important anymore; nothing, except the feeling of being in Harry's arms.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Shortly before dawn James was sitting on the bench in the garden of Godric's Hollow and staring at the red roses which Lily had once so loved. Though he hardly could bear the sight, he wasn't capable of turning away. Still he could see her in front of him how she had bent over the flowers, had ran towards him, heard her calling his name. Whenever she had found time she had gone to her roses. Here she had come to let her thoughts wander, here she had read books or had just lain in the sun. And now she would never return to her favourite place, she would not see her garden ever again.

If only the previous evening had been a bad dream, James thought. How should he endure this pain? How should he live on? How should he forget her pale face, her dark-red hair that had spread out on the carpet like blood, her wide emerald eyes which had been deserted by any spark of life? His only poor consolation was Lily's smile. She had been happy. But what about? One instant later realization hit him like a stroke of lightning. Of course, she had grasped that Harry was alive; her child, whom she had loved more than her own life.

Yes, the child…Lily's child, and his.

Even if hours had passed since he had discovered it, he still found it difficult to believe that he had a son. The thought was so strange to him, so surreal. Oh, Lily, why did you not tell me?

Abruptly James sat up straight. On the day when she had disappeared, she asked him if he couldn't come home a bit earlier since she had a surprise for him. And what had he done? He had had so much on his mind, pondering about some important clues for an imminent Death Eater attack that he had answered her absentmindedly and had only half listened to her. And then he had forgotten it!

Realizing that Lily must have intended to tell him of her pregnancy that day, an icy coldness overwhelmed him. For a horrendous moment he wondered what would have happened if Voldemort had been aware of their child. James shuddered, flung his arms tightly around his body and knew that it would not have made a difference. He was sure: the Dark Lord would have abducted Lily anyway.

After all, there were ways and means to remedy such a situation. And he knew what this would have meant for Lily.

James stretched out a hand, gently touched one of the rose petals and while the pain nearly tore him apart, he cursed the wizard who had destroyed all their lives. But if there was still some justice to be found in the world, then today Voldemort would pay for everything he had ever done.

And he would…

"James? Have you not slept at all?"

Startled, James flinched and looked up. With disheveled hair and dark shadows under his eyes Sirius stood in front of him and regarded him worriedly. It had been Sirius who had brought him home yesterday as he had refused to stay in Hogwarts like the other members of the Order. But James hadn't been able to stand being in the walls of the castle any longer, he had wanted to be alone, had not borne to see the sympathy in the miens of the others.

Sirius cast a glance at his overtired face and sat down next to him.

"No, you haven't," he answered his question himself und added,

"Neither have I."

After a while of silence, James said,

"Do you know what I have just realized? On that day Lily disappeared, she wanted to tell me about the child. She asked me to return home earlier," he ended in a quiet voice.

Sirius looked at him sadly.

"Would it have changed anything, if you had known? It would only have made everything worse for you, for us. James, listen to me. Lily is dead and even if it sounds hard you should try to let her go. You have a son. You should…"

But Sirius should never finish his sentence. With a start James spun around to him.

"For God's sake, Sirius! I've prayed for Lily's return! I wanted to have Lily back! Not a son! Why? Why couldn't Lily survive?"

Sirius eyes narrowed. His grip as he seized James by the shoulders was painful.

"Harry is _your_ son, if you haven't realized it yet, James! He is not to blame for everything that has happened. And don't tell me that you believe Lily would have been happy if she had survived instead of Harry! You knew her better than anyone else. She would have taken her own life if she had lost her child. For Harry she risked everything, James.

And you know what she would want from you, don't you? She would want you to take care of him and to love him. If we survive this day, you have to take him in. He will need you. I can't imagine that he was showered with much love in that cold castle after Lily's death. We have to do everything in our power to keep Harry away of the Dark Arts, James. We have to give him back the family he has lost."

Taken aback, James blinked.

"I know," he finally whispered.

"And I will try. Even, if I don't know how to do it. How shall I ever be a good father to him, Sirius? Harry is a stranger for me. I do not know him, at all."

"You will get to know each other. And we will help you."

James cast a grateful look at Sirius and then shook his head.

"I still cannot believe it. Neither that I have a son nor that Peter betrayed us. Twenty years, Sirius! He has lived twenty years in my house. Almost every day he was together with us.

He was my friend; I trusted him while all along he just put on an act and only pretended that he mourned for Lily! How could he do that? Why did he not tell us that Malfoy waylaid him?"

"Because he was a miserable coward," Sirius said full of contempt.

"But we could have protected him! Him and Lily. And Malfoy we could have taken prisoner! I just don't understand it. Why didn't he tell us?"

"I don't know, James. I don't know. But whatever had been the reason for his actions, now he is dead."

"Yes," James said harshly.

"Yes, he is. And I'm glad about it. If Harry hadn't killed him, then I would have done it myself. Yes, Peter paid for his deeds. And Voldemort will also pay."

"James…"

"Don't worry, Sirius. I will not even come near him," James said with a bitter undertone.

It might be that he would only stand in Harry's path. It might be that they would need every available wizard to defeat all Death Eaters present in Voldemort's headquarters. And of course Sirius and Albus were right that he would be defeated by the Dark Lord in a duel. Nevertheless it had not been easy to accept that he would not be able to take revenge on Voldemort personally.

But he had given his word and he would keep it. Looking up into the sky, James sighed deeply.

"I'm afraid, Sirius. What if Harry will not make it?"

"No, James. Don't you even dare to think about it! We _will_ make it. Harry will defeat Voldemort and we his followers. We will rescue Remus…"

"Remus! Good gracious, I forgot him completely!" James exclaimed aghast.

"… and once the war is over, we and Harry will live happily in Godric's Hollow. Someday he'll marry and then a lot of little Potters will play in our garden.", Sirius joked.

James stared at Sirius as if his friend had now completely lost his senses.

"Marry?"

"Yes. Haven't you noticed how Arthur's daughter looked at Harry? It was the same glance Lily always used to give you. Believe me, James, some day we will all be happy again."

James riveted his eyes on the crimson roses.

"But without Lily," he murmured sadly and stood up.

"We should get ourselves ready. The Order will gather soon."

Without waiting for Sirius, James walked towards the house.

Sirius gazed wordlessly after him, wondering if his vision of the future would ever come true.

* * *

James Potter and Sirius Black were not the only ones who weren't able to sleep. In his office Albus Dumbledore sat, motionless as a marble statue, and observed the rays of the slowly raising sun that crept slowly over his desk. He rested his chin on his hands and asked himself what the day would bring: victory or defeat?

As always before a battle he wished to be able to see into the future. Would the war finally come to an end or would he lead his Order into catastrophe?

Albus looked at his Pensieve and mused about his decision. Even if he was rather sure that they could trust Harry, a certain doubt remained.

And then there was Voldemort. The Dark Lord was crafty, sly and unscrupulous. What if Harry was only a pawn for him whom he could use any way he wanted? What if he had aimed for Harry luring them into the castle?

Running a hand over his forehead, Albus tiredly sighed. Well, that served him right after staying awake all through the night. Promptly he worried too much and imagined things.

What happened to his courage? What to his hope?

Involuntarily he thought of Lily Potter, recalled how she had walked up to Voldemort. She had known that it would cost her her life and yet she had done everything to destroy Harry's love for Voldemort. Despite everything she had suffered at the Dark Lord's hands, she had never given up, but had fought to the last.

Admiration rose in him and suddenly he felt the overpowering wish to turn back the time to make different decisions then.

He should have known that Lily would have never left James, nor would she have let the Order down. Yes, he had wronged her. And who knows, perhaps they would have found a possibility to rescue Lily, after all.

It was too late for self-reproaches, but there was one thing he could do. He could see to it that she hadn't sacrificed her life in vain.

Determined, Albus stood up and reached for his wand. It was high time to end this war, he thought and set off to the Great Hall, where the Order of the Phoenix would gather.

* * *

Ginny awoke completely shattered. And though it was actually far too warm under the blanket, she was cold. Soon, she thought, soon the battle would begin and she shuddered. She turned to the other side and was relieved to see that Harry was already awake as well.

Lying on his back, he was staring at the ceiling.

"Harry?"

Harry winced slightly and looked at her. He had dark circles under his eyes and looked as tired as she felt. Since he had woken her abruptly from her restless sleep in the middle of the night and had dragged her into the Great Hall to clarify the last details for their attack and to meet with Professor Snape afterwards, it wasn't very surprising, however.

"I…" she began in a faltering voice.

But before she could have said another word, Harry lightly stroked her over her cheek.

"Don't be afraid, Ginny. We will be victorious. Believe me."

A chilling expression entered his eyes.

"I'll kill him, Ginny. And if it's the last thing I do. I'll get my revenge."

Then his face lost somewhat of his harshness and he smiled at her.

Ginny nodded, but she didn't quite succeed in returning Harry's smile. She was so frightened that he might get hurt. What if he wouldn't survive his encounter with the Dark Lord?

"I am sorry," Harry said suddenly.

Uncomprehendingly, Ginny looked at Harry and was just about to ask what he meant as he softly added,

"I didn't ask you if you wanted it as well yesterday."

There she finally understood.

"Oh, Harry, don't worry about that. Of course, I wanted it, too. I love you," she said, bent over Harry and kissed him.

She straightened again and looked at him. Harry stared at her with such a stunned expression on his face that she had to bit her lips to stop herself from laughing. But as she imagined what his reaction might mean, Ginny felt an aching twinge. Didn't he love her as well?

Swiftly, she wanted to turn away, but Harry's hand at her chin caused her to pause.

"Ginny…" he whispered.

His next word was drowned in an agonizing scream.

Ginny jumped up, snatched her gown, slipped it quickly over and hurried into the bedroom. There Katie had already laid an arm around little Anne and tried to calm down the crying girl.

Ginny had nearly reached the bed as she heard her father yelling,

"Where's my daughter? What did you do to her?"

Startled, Ginny stormed out again and darted to her father who had shakily risen from the settee and was eyeing Harry with a wild gaze and clenched fists.

"Dad!"

While Ginny threw herself radiant with joy in her father's arms, Harry calmly reached for his robe and disappeared into the bathroom.

"Ginny?"

Arthur looked at his daughter unbelievingly, before he embraced her as tightly as he could.

Not until Harry returned to the room, he let go of her and blinked, confused.

"What happened? Must I be not…dead? The Killing Curse…the green light…."

Totally lost Arthur broke up. He remembered the terrible pain, knew that it had been the raven-haired young Lord, the torturer of his daughter, who had inflicted the agonies on him.

And he remembered the blazing green light which had raced towards him.

"I think it would be better if you explained everything to him," Harry said, glanced fleetingly at her and stepped towards the door.

While Harry was speaking unveiled hate appeared on Arthur's face. Seeing this, Ginny sighed slightly. As soon as Harry had left them alone, she pushed her Dad gently back on the settee and started to tell him what had happened during his unconsciousness. It took a while and she had to summon up all her power of persuasion to make clear to him that Harry had done nothing to her, but had helped her and the Order and most importantly: Harry had saved his life.

Arthur listened, shook his head now and then and steadfastly gazed at his daughter. As she had ended, he tenderly brushed a red curl out of her face.

"And you are sure that he didn't hurt you, little one?"

"Dad, Harry has saved your life. Believe me, you can trust him," she said firmly and Arthur nodded hesitantly.

Shortly afterwards Cho, Katie and Anne came in. Wrapped in their blankets they stopped, looking uncertainly at Ginny. Ginny quickly called one of the house-elves and asked the little creature to bring them breakfast.

While her Dad and the girls were eating hungrily, Ginny wasn't even able to swallow a bite. Feeling much too nervous, she drank only a little tea.

"Where were you yesterday by the way?" Cho asked curiously.

"On your note merely stood that you would return soon."

Ginny put her cup on the table and explained a second time in a strongly abridged version what had happened the previous day.

"Can…can we go home then?" Anne asked and looked at Ginny.

In Anne's light blue eyes such hope shone that Ginny couldn't help but to assure her that they would indeed go home when the battle had been fought.

_At least when we win, _Ginny thought grimly, _and Harry defeats Voldemort. _

Ginny took a sip of her tea and glanced at the door, wondering where Harry had gone to.

Now, as the fight seemed to advance more and more closely with each passing minute, she wished to be able to halt time. Yesterday she had still been capable of repressing the thoughts of the approaching battle, but now she didn't manage anymore. Her fear was just too great, the outcome too uncertain.

When Harry finally returned and Ginny noticed the snake that was curled around his arm, she realized that Harry had merely searched for his pet which yesterday he had sent to search for the two children.

At Harry's sight Katie, Cho and Anne had frozen on their seats and Arthur also looked as though he would feel ill at ease.

"It's time, Ginny. We must go."

Ginny nodded and wanted to stand up, but her father seized her arm.

"No. I forbid you to fight. It is much too dangerous!"

"Dad, please understand. I have…"

"No, Ginny. You…"

All of a sudden Arthur fell silent. A strange rigidity seemed to place itself over him.

Ginny looked inquiringly at Harry who returned her gaze, unmoved, and reached out a hand for her.

"Come," he said.

And Ginny went. At the door she turned around one more time. Seeing the scared faces of Katie, Cho and Anne she wanted to say something. But she couldn't utter a word, nor did she manage a smile. Instead her eyes rested on the motionless figure of her father. Only when Harry took her hand, she followed him through the door.

* * *

The Great Hall and the corridor were deserted. All traces of yesterday's feast had been removed. The silence made Severus Snape nervous. Standing near the entrance of the Great Hall, his gaze was riveted fixedly on the stairs. Where the devil were they? They should have been here already.

Severus felt himself break out in a cold sweat. Sure, the opportunity _was _favourable. After the festivity that had lasted half the night the Death Eaters would get up later and would be more likely to be careless than usual. Yet he would have preferred it if they had waited a few days before putting their plan into action. At least until everyone would exactly know the task they had to take over as well as all ways that led out of the castle.

But, of course, Albus Dumbledore and their unexpected ally had to rush into things.

Frowning, Severus shook his head and remembered the conversation that he had had with Albus a few hours ago.

Fortunately the Dark Lord had sent him to Hogwarts around midnight to fetch several potions – among other things Veritaserum – which the Inner Circle would need for the interrogation of the prisoners. Though he hadn't had much time it had been enough to inform him about all the news.

To discover the true identity of the young Lord had been a shock for him. Who would have thought that it was James' and Lily's son?

Thinking of Lily, he sighed. Her fate had hit him hard and he knew that a share of the blame fell on him. He knew that he hadn't searched thoroughly enough then. As Potter had come to him to ask him for help, he had agreed half-heartedly. And so he had also searched the castle.

The animosity he had always felt for Potter had blinded him.

But now he realized that Lily had not deserved such behaviour. He should have searched for her sake and not for Potter's. Perhaps he would have been able to help her if he had found her.

That he had given up far too soon, he would never forgive himself. It was no use now to wonder whether he could have helped Lily if he would have made every effort then. He would never find it out, he thought bitterly. He had to learn to live with his fault.

Approaching steps caused him to look up. As he recognized Potter's son and Ginny Weasley he was seized with relief. Now he could only pray that their plan would work.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

The morning sunrays reflected off the gloomy castle in a dazzling light. So bright, that as Bill Weasley, who was looking up at the tremendous walls, had to hold a protective hand over his eyes. It was quite cold in the forest, but Bill didn't pay any attention to it. Restlessly shifting from one foot to the other, he gazed again on the lake and impatiently waited that Ginny would finally come into view.

That his little sister had returned with Harry Potter to the headquarters of the Dark Lord yesterday, he hadn't liked at all. Bill still thought with a certain grudge of Albus Dumbledore who had got him and his mother to give in.

The mere thought of Ginny being here now he detested deeply. He didn't want her to be in danger, didn't want anything happening to her. And least of all he wanted to have her in the vicinity of Harry Potter. Even if he had indeed not done anything to Ginny for whatever reasons – what he strongly doubted, when thinking of her cheek that had shimmered in different colours – the alleged son and heir of the Dark Lord was dangerous.

The murder of Peter Pettigrew had surely not been his first he was responsible for. To say nothing of the stories Severus Snape had told them about the young Lord. If only a fraction of them was in accordance with the truth, then Harry Potter was a perfect example of a dark wizard.

Recalling how Ginny had been holding his hand and even had defended him yesterday, Bill pressed his lips together and wondered what he had done to captivate her so. On top of that it had been her own wish to return to Voldemort's headquarters. To help them, she had said!

Yet she was still almost a child. Moreover she had no battle experience. Though Harry Potter had assured them that Ginny would be in no danger at any time, how could he trust the word of a wizard who had grown up in the Castle of Death?

Bill shook his head and looked over to the other waiting people. Tension was writ large in all their faces. Some Order members even looked downright afraid. If it had also occurred to them that this could be a skillfully set up trap? A trap to take them prisoner and to wipe out the Order of the Phoenix once and for all?

How should they know whether Harry Potter really intended to kill the Dark Lord? Everything he had showed them the previous evening could be a great lie, a put- up job.

And yet no-one of them had raised an objection. He hadn't either.

Leaning against the thick trunk of a tree, he mused about how it would be if they should indeed succeed in defeating the Dark Side today. They would be able to go home and their life would return to normality. How great it must be not to live constantly in fear, not be forced to fight and not to worry whether you would survive the next day. There wouldn't be any attacks anymore; they would be able to leave the house alone. They would forget the war and they would delight in the everyday matters of life.

And Ginny would not see Harry Potter again, he added with an inaudible sigh.

But even if he made every effort, he just couldn't imagine it. He had never known life without war and yet he wished nothing more ardently than to have a future that wasn't determined by the war.

Yes, he thought, perhaps his hope had also been greater than his fear and his doubts.

"They're coming," he heard Charlie say, who was standing beside him.

Bill looked up, took a deep breath and riveted his gaze on the three figures who suddenly had appeared from nowhere at the opposite end of the meadow and were quickly approaching.

His restlessness grew into boundless spaces.

* * *

As Ginny, Harry and Severus Snape had nearly reached the Order, Ginny ran to her mother. While Ginny was hugging her family, Harry and Severus went over to Albus Dumbledore.

After a short greeting, Harry fetched a few small, wooden boxes out of one of his pockets and called Ginny's name. Reluctantly freeing herself from Fred's and George's embraces, she swiftly hugged her mother once more and stepped to Harry.

Harry gave her and Professor Snape each three boxes and turned to Dumbledore, who had already raised his wand. Together they put a charm on the gathered people. In the next moment the Order members began to shrink.

Ginny, Harry and Severus kneeled down in the dew wet grass and waited until the single Order members, who now were about five centimetres tall, came to them and then lifted them cautiously into the boxes.

Shortly afterwards only Albus Dumbledore remained.

"We trust you, Harry. Don't forget this," he said and nodded.

Harry simply cast a glance at him, lifted his hand and cast the spell also on Dumbledore. As soon as he was stowed away in one of the boxes, Harry carefully piled them up on each other and laid a hand on the topmost box.

"Will the wards not sound the alarm?" Severus suddenly asked.

Harry shook his head.

"Not anymore. Here, everyone takes three."

Loaded with the boxes, Ginny stood up. While she had to hold the boxes with both hands, Harry managed it to hold them with one hand and to seize her arm with the other.

"Ready?" he asked.

Ginny tightened her grip around the boxes and closed her eyes with resignation. How she hated it to apparate! Fortunately she succeeded in staying on her feet when they arrived in the Great Hall.

As Severus Snape had turned up as well, Harry quietly said,

"Snape, you will show them the dungeons."

Snape spun wordlessly around and marched away with billowing robes.

Ginny and Harry, however, looked at each other silently. And even if Ginny knew that time was precious and that they had to act as soon as possible, she was incapable of moving as she stared into Harry's emerald eyes.

Unexpectedly Harry reached out a hand and touched her shoulder. Something seemed to envelope her. She only felt it for an instant and yet she was certain that she hadn't imagined it.

"What did you do?" she asked.

"I've surrounded you with my magic. It will protect you for a while," Harry said and handed her his wand. Kneeling down, he began to open the boxes.

Ginny swallowed hard as she realized again why they were here. Rapidly she copied Harry and freed the Order members, who immediately changed themselves back.

Ginny cast a last glance at Harry and then led one part of the Order out of the hall. Harry gazed after Ginny and suppressed the impulse to follow her and to bring her to his chambers, where she would be in safety in any case. But he knew that Ginny, just like Snape, had to show the Order members the approximate way. They couldn't risk that the Order would get lost and would lose their bearings in the huge, gloomy castle.

Although he had drawn some plans yesterday, it would take too long to consult the maps in the first place and secondly they would be useless should unforeseen things happen. And Ginny had, at least, walked the way back and forth several times the previous night.

While Ginny showed the Order to the western wing of the castle, where the most of the Death Eaters had their quarters, Harry led his part to the northern wing. There not only Voldemort, but also those Death Eaters who were closest to him had their chambers.

As Harry had expected they didn't even meet a single Death Eater.

Having reached their destination, Harry indicated the Order members to go and stand in front of the different doors. The moment everyone had moved into position, Harry gave the signal to attack and flung open Voldemort's door.

The Dark Lord was sitting at a little round table and was just eating breakfast. When Harry stepped into the room, he looked up.

"Henry! Did something…"

He broke off, grasped his wand and slowly stood up.

"I would advise you to consider your decision, Henry," he said coldly.

"You have murdered my mother!"

"It was inevitable. And you know it, Henry. She provoked me."

"Don't you dare to blame her, Voldemort! It was your fault. And for that you will pay. You and your followers!"

"And how have you planned to do that? My Death Eaters are in the majority, if you haven't realized it yet."

"That very well may be. But…"

Harry smiled as he heard the screams.

"…your followers are just being taken care of by Dumbledore and the Order. I think we have quite a good chance to win."

"So, you have betrayed me. That is regrettable. But it isn't too late yet, Henry. If you now align yourself with me, we can ward off the attack and defeat them once and for all. I would forgive you, Henry. You would remain my right hand and heir and I would overlook your betrayal.

If you decide, however, to fight against me you will bear the consequences. You should realize that you will not be able to defeat me," the Dark Lord said and took a step towards him.

"Consider it well, my son."

"I am not your son, Voldemort! My mother has deceived you. She was already pregnant as you captured her!"

The Dark Lord hissed, his snake-like face contorted into a grotesque grimace. _That could not be true! _And yet he sensed that Henry, who stood in front of him with eyes full of hatred, had spoken the truth.

Struggling against the unrestrained fury that rose in him, he suddenly found himself thinking back seventeen years, recalled the one day – a few weeks after her abduction – where he had led Lily down to the dungeons. In one of the many cells the young woman had wept over James Potter who had lain lifeless on the ground. Though it had been only some insignificant prisoner, Lily had believed him as he had told her that he had killed her husband. His spy Severus Snape, a highly gifted Potions master had brewed him the Polyjuice Potion without suspecting for what his lord had required it.

As Lily's tears had dried up, she had slowly risen, had turned around and had looked straight into his eyes.

_One day you will be defeated, Voldemort. One day you will pay for everything you ever did._

Still he saw her standing in front of him, heard her quiet but firm voice. Even in mourning she had been beautiful.

_Lily, _he thought and cursed her, the woman, who he had never forgotten, who hunted him in his dreams and who he hated. Since the day he had seen her for the first time he hadn't found peace anymore.

Would he have never met her. Would she have only been on his side…

The Dark Lord paused, refused to think this thought out. Instead he suppressed his memory of Lily and concentrated on the present. He knew that he had to act. Or else he would lose everything. Henry had brought Dumbledore and his Order into the castle. For this Henry would pay, just as Lily had paid for defying him.

And afterwards he would take care of Dumbledore, this fool. But before, he had to get even with Henry. The Dark Lord lifted his head and looked into Lily's emerald eyes, which her son had inherited.

"In that case it was a grave mistake not to kill the Mudblood much earlier."

Involuntarily Harry clenched his fists, felt his hate finally overwhelming him. Without hesitating a further moment, he attacked Voldemort. He was only filled with the feeling to kill, to destroy and exactly this he would do. His magic burst out of him, so fiercely that he couldn't control it anymore.

Harry didn't care, however, as he gave himself over to his magic and the power he felt flowing through him. He saw neither the horrified understanding on Voldemort's face, nor did he realize that all curses the Dark Lord hurled against him just rebounded off his protective shield.

Only when a big glassy vase shattered into thousand pieces and one of the shards scratched his cheek, he came again to his senses.

Trembling he stood there. He felt dizzy, but gradually his eyes could discern the contours which stood out in front of him clearer. The room looked like it had been ravaged by a hurricane. And Voldemort lay curled up in front of him, nearly destroyed beyond recognition by his magic.

He was dead, as Harry dazedly realized.

He should have felt triumph, joy that he had taken revenge, relieve that he had survived. But instead an icy coldness crept up in him.

He turned around and looked into the ashen faces of three Order members who stood in the door with frightened eyes. Wondering how long they had been here already, he walked towards the door. The wizards backed away from him as he stepped into the corridor and listened.

It was quiet, far too quiet.

One moment later he started to run. Since the Great Hall was the only place within this castle from where it was possible to apparate, it was more than likely that the Death Eaters had tried to flee there. Having reached the hall, he saw that he had been right with his assumption. The fight had indeed shifted to the hall.

A shrill laughter, sure of victory, caused him to spin around. His eyes fell on Bellatrix Lestrange. He raised a hand and once more he gave himself over to his magic which felt so alive. The laughter changed into an agonizing scream that grew ever louder.

* * *

It was the thought that she _had _to show the Order members the way that prevented Ginny from turning around and to go in search of Harry. Seized with fear and worry, she stumbled ahead. How she managed it to not get lost was a mystery to her, but somehow she succeeded in leading the Order members to the western wing.

As soon as they had arrived, her mother gave her a kiss, however, and send her back and Bill ordered the twins to stay with her and to keep an eye on her.

"But…" she protested feebly.

Bill cut her short.

"No buts, Ginny. You've helped us already more than enough. You will fight under no circumstances."

Realizing that contradiction would be useless, Ginny nodded. Fred and George took her between them and hurried with her in direction of the staircase. They hadn't come very far when a voice bellowed,

"We are under attack! The Order is here! We're under attack!"

Fred grimaced and quickened his pace. They had nearly reached the stairs when a door was flung open. Seeing them the two Death Eaters stopped dead in their tracks.

"Run, Ginny!" Fred shouted and took a step towards the Death Eaters.

But Ginny didn't even consider it. With raised wand she stood there.

Her eyes darted back and forth between Fred and George. If she hadn't been afraid of hitting one of her brothers nothing would have kept her from sending a curse against the Death Eaters, but so she refrained from doing it and hoped with pounding heart that nothing would happen to the twins.

When she became aware that further Death Eaters, pursued by Order members, stormed towards the staircase it was too late. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a blazing red light approaching. A second later the curse crashed into her with incredible force and took her breath away. She was flung through the air. She hit her head on something hard.

As she regained consciousness again and slowly sat up, she saw that she was lying at the bottom of the staircase. Someone called her name, but only when Bill kneeled next to her she realized who it had been.

"Ginny! Are you hurt?"

"No," she said with difficulty and let Bill help her up.

"No", she repeated louder as the dizziness finally lessened.

"I'm fine", she assured him and looked up in the grim face of her brother.

"Come. I'll get you to safety," he said and dragged her away.

After some metres Ginny stopped abruptly.

"Fred and George! We have to help them!" she exclaimed.

"I left Charlie with them," Bill replied tersely and walked on.

Little later they found themselves in front of the entrance to the Great Hall. Bill stifled a curse and grabbed her by the shoulders.

"Stay here and do not budge. Understood?"

Ginny had hardly nodded as Bill already ran into the hall. Leaning against the wall, Ginny let her gaze wander over the fighters.

Suddenly she froze.

_Harry! _And her heart leaped. _He was alive! He was here!_

This could only mean one thing: that he had defeated Voldemort.

But her joy vanished as swiftly as it had come. Something was wrong, she thought with growing dread. As another Death Eater burned out in a dark fire, she forgot all caution and began to run.

How she knew this she could not say. But she was certain: she had to go to Harry. Without paying attention to the curses that were flying around the place, she meandered through the fighters. Finally she reached him.

"Harry, no! Stop! Stop, Harry!"

Harry whirled around, stared at her as if she were a stranger. Involuntarily she backed off and for the fraction of a moment she believed he would attack her as well.

"Harry," she whispered.

His gaze became clearer, softer.

"Ginny? What on earth are you doing here?"

Then he took her arm. Only when they had reached the magnificent throne of the Dark Lord, he let go of her and drew her close to him. Ginny felt how he trembled. His face, however that he pressed against hers, was unnaturally hot.

"What happened?" she asked.

"He is dead. I've…"

Suddenly he pushed her away from him. Ginny fell on her knees. As she had clambered to her feet again, she saw that he was fighting with a silver-blond wizard, who still was wearing his pyjamas.

Ginny came out from behind the throne and just wanted to point her wand on a second Death Eater who was running towards Harry and his opponent, as Bill appeared in front of her and seized her arm.

"Ginny! Did you lose your mind? He could have killed you!" he barked at her and while Ginny was wondering who her brother could have meant with 'he', she had no other choice than to follow Bill as he ran into the opposite direction.

"Let go of me, Bill!" she shouted, unsuccessfully trying to free herself and to turn around to look for Harry at the same time.

Bill ignored her, however, and soon Ginny lost sight of Harry.

In the next instant Molly and Charlie Weasley rushed towards them.

"We have won!" Charlie shouted.

"We have won!"

But Ginny didn't hear him. Finally having caught Harry's gaze, their eyes locked.

For a while they looked at each other. Then Harry turned around and walked out of the hall. Before Ginny could have freed herself from her mother's clutching grip, Harry had disappeared.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

"Remus!"

In two large strides James Potter had crossed the cell and had fallen on his knees beside his friend. But his relief that Remus was alive was swiftly replaced by deep worry. Cautiously James put a hand on his shoulder and called Remus' name once more.

Remus froze and blinkingly opened his eyes.

"Ja…James?" he whispered unbelievingly.

"Yes, it's me. We are here, Remus. You're safe now. Everything will be all right again."

The shadow of a smile was the only indication that Remus had understood him. While James called for Sirius who was searching the adjoining cells, Remus fell back into his unconsciousness.

Shortly afterwards Sirius stormed in.

"Remus!" he shouted.

"He's alive," James said quickly when seeing the fear on Sirius' face.

"What did they only do to him?" he asked in a choked voice.

"Those cursed, damned…"

"You'd better help him," James interrupted sharply and stood up.

"I've lost my wand," he added in explanation and ran a hand over his forehead.

Sirius raised one eyebrow, but abstained from asking how this could have happened to him. Instead he nodded and bent over Remus. In the meantime James went in search of Poppy Pomfrey, the healer of the Order. But as he finally had found her, he had to realize that she and her helpers had their hands full.

Not only Remus was in a pitiably condition, the other prisoners were it as well, so that James returned to tell Sirius that it would be the best to bring Remus to St. Mungo's. Though the hospital just like Hogwarts had been fiercely fought for in all the years, the Dark Side had never managed to conquer it.

But in Remus' cell he found neither Remus nor Sirius. Thinking that Sirius probably had come to the same conclusion as he, James walked out again. Since he knew that Remus was in good hands with Sirius, he decided to go to the Great Hall, where the Order should meet in the case of victory. He wouldn't be able to do more than Sirius anyway and aside from that he was worried about Harry.

But before he left the dungeons, it suddenly occurred to him that he had to get back his wand. Angry at himself that he hadn't thought of this earlier and above all that he had truly allowed himself to get distracted for a second during the fight, he ran back to the healers.

Borrowing a wand from a young healer, he summoned his wand, thanked her and then set off to the Great Hall. Throwing a glance at his map now and then, he eventually reached the hall, where he came across a great part of the worn-out Order members.

While observing Alastor Moody who was busy to chain about a dozen Death Eaters with two other wizards, a former Auror and colleague told him what had happened. That they had indeed succeeded in defeating the Dark Side was too good to be true. But James could not yet rejoice over their victory. First he had to find Harry, had to know how he fared.

Yet he couldn't spot Harry anywhere. He caught sight of Arthur's daughter, however, who was standing in the middle of the hall with her family.

James said goodbye to his colleague and hurried towards the Weasleys. As he asked the red-haired girl if she knew where Harry was, the friendliness vanished from the faces of her brothers.

"I'm not sure, Mr. Potter, but I think I know where he has gone to. There is a little garden in the park which once belonged to his mother. He is surely there. Come, I'll show you the way."

"Ginny, we…"

"No, Bill. You won't stop me. I'll show Mr. Potter the way and if it's the last thing I do," Ginny replied angrily, turned around and wordlessly marched away.

Confused, James followed her.

"Ginny, wait! We'll come with you. There still could be Death Eaters prowling around in the park," Bill shouted.

Ginny cast a sidelong glance at her brothers, but didn't say anything.

Escorted by Bill and the twins they stepped out into the warm sunlight a while later. James took a deep breath and looked from the trees up to the scattered clouds. Amazed, he realized how peaceful it was in the park. Watching a bird that glided through the skies high above them, suddenly Sirius' words came to his mind.

Yes, Harry was _his_ son. And yet no feeling of love did want to appear. He would, of course, do his duty. Harry would live with them in Godric's Hollow and he would naturally take care of him. But would he ever be able to love his son?

Well, perhaps Sirius was right and it would take some time until they would get to know each other, James thought and felt a bit more confident.

It was Ginny's voice that jolted him out of his thoughts and made him aware that Ginny and her brothers had come to a halt. Ginny raised one hand and pointed to a little archway.

"We are here, Mr. Potter."

"Go," she softly added when he didn't budge.

James nodded and started moving. He went through the archway and stopped abruptly as his gaze fell on the many dark red roses.

_Lily's garden!_

Pain threatened to overwhelm him, but James forced it down, reminded himself why he had come here. Harry, he had to speak with Harry and exactly this he would do. He straightened and walked along the narrow pathway.

Harry was motionlessly kneeling beside a tall willow, which stood secluded from the roses at the far end of the garden. As James approached, Harry turned his head, looked at him briefly and then riveted his gaze on the grass again.

"Harry…" James started and didn't know how to go on.

While James was still searching for words, Harry said expressionlessly,

"This garden was her favourite spot. That's why the house-elves have buried Mum here, here under the tree. They've chosen well, haven't they?"

James blinked and sank to his knees next to Harry. Comprehending what Harry had just said, this place, this tree and even the soft grass that slowly moved in the wind got an invaluable significance for him. He reached out an arm and touched the rough trunk of the willow.

"Lily," he whispered and felt how tears were running down his cheeks. And yet it seemed that a certain peace came over him.

He had found his Lily again. Here, to this place he would be able to go. Here he would be able to commune with Lily.

As a hand, light as a feather, was placed on his shoulder, he became aware again that he was not alone. He looked up and froze as he stared into Harry's face. Now, where the coldness had disappeared from his eyes, they were the emerald ones of his Lily which gazed at him sadly. He searched for further similarities and suddenly grasped that Harry – apart from Lily's eyes – looked just like a younger version of himself. This time it was Harry's name he whispered, before he clasped his son in his arms.

He had loved Lily more than his life; therefore he had to love Harry, too. Harry was a part of her – of them both, he corrected himself – and everything that was left to him of Lily.

And as he realized this, as he finally understood what he hadn't wanted to understand all the previous night, a bittersweet feeling of happiness flowed through him. He was filled with gratitude and even if he knew that he would never get over Lily's loss, his grief had become more bearable. Lily lived on in Harry and for Harry's sake he would learn to accept Lily's death. He would learn to laugh again, too, and together they would eventually be happy again, some day. And as James' tears gradually dried up, he found life almost beautiful.

Harry, however, felt how his tension lessened. In the first moment he had wanted to free himself from his father's grip, but something had kept him from doing so in the end.

Perhaps it had been the deep pain that he had seen in James' eyes, perhaps the memory of his mother. Or perhaps it had just been a need for closeness, for comfort; a search for the long-lost feeling of security. And so Harry hesitantly returned the embrace of his father. His gaze riveted on the tree trunk and wandered to the small knothole, and remained there.

A wistful smile flitted across his face. As he had been a child his mother had sometimes hid presents there: sweets, little cakes and occasionally even a stuffed animal, whatever she had got from the house-elves. How much they owed the house-elves!

Whenever it had been possible for the house-elves, they had helped them. Only with their help he had managed to hide from Voldemort since that fateful day, had he been untraceable for everyone.

Of course, it had never occurred to Voldemort that the house-elves were the ones to help him.

And the tiny creatures which had adored his mother had done more. For all these years they had kept the existence of the rose garden a secret and had seen to it that the garden didn't overgrow.

Involuntarily Harry stretched out an arm and reached into the knothole. As his fingers closed around a hard object contrary to expectations, he flinched.

James let go of him and looked at him inquiringly. But Harry stared at the little, leather-bound book that he was holding in his hand. He had never seen it before. Judging by James' expression his father, however, had. He was about to open the book as a faint noise was heard.

It was Ginny, who quickly walked towards them.

* * *

The war was over. After twenty-three years the Dark Side was finally defeated. Albus Dumbledore knew that it was indeed so, but nevertheless he found it difficult to believe it. And yet it was true.

Just now Alastor had informed him that the other quarters of Voldemort that spread throughout Great-Britain had also been taken. Since the fireplaces of Voldemort's diverse hiding places had been linked, it had been quite easy for them to get in there as well as soon as they had conquered the Castle of Death.

With a smile Albus listened to the cheers of a few young Order members. Yes, they had won. Now peace would reign again at last.

"Some of those morons are talking about arresting the young Potter," a voice growled behind him and Albus turned around.

Severus pointed with his head to a small group of wizards and witches who stood close to each other and were whispering excitedly among themselves, and added,

"I thought you should know. But I don't think they will dare it."

Albus nodded pensively. He foresaw difficulties. Alastor also had told him in no uncertain terms that he considered it indispensable to arrest Harry Potter and to bring him to a place where the young wizard could not cause any damage.

Only in this way it could be prevented that soon a second Dark Lord would rise, Alastor had said. Albus had contradicted him, but he knew quite well that he hadn't been able to convince his old friend.

Sure, he had seen as well which devastating impact Harry's dark magic had caused and that this mere sixteen year old wizard was capable of such violence had shaken him severely. On the other hand they owed it only to Harry that they had defeated the Dark Side. Harry had killed the Dark Lord; Harry had told them all important information. He had neither deceived them nor had betrayed their trust, but had kept his word. Without him they would still be at war.

And now they should arrest him?

Besides they could not disregard the fact that Harry had grown up on the Dark Side. To condemn him because of that as a dark wizard who intended to take up Voldemort's place would be pretty unfair.

No, he couldn't and he wouldn't allow this to happen. He would never forgive himself, if he would not do everything in his power to prevent an arrest of Harry.

And perhaps thus he would be able to partly pay off his debt; a kind of recompense that he didn't believe James then and for abandoning Lily to her fate, without making an attempt to find out what really had happened.

Well, something would certainly occur to him. While Albus was still pondering over a strategy, his gaze fell on Harry and James who had just stepped into the hall with Ginny and three other Weasleys in tow.

Yes, Harry and James deserved it to become happy, he thought and walked towards them.

Severus Snape who had observed Albus, gazed after the leader of the Order with a knowing smile, then turned around and let his eyes wander through the hall. As they came to rest on Narcissa Malfoy who crouched on the stone floor, weeping and bound, he went over to her, kneeled down in front of her and quietly called her name.

* * *

As little Anne threw herself into the arms of her parents, Ginny smiled, happy that she had been able to keep her promise. And Katie and Cho also ran to their parents. Ginny watched them. Therefore she didn't notice until a while later that Harry didn't stand beside her anymore. She looked around and spotted him finally next to his father who just was talking with Dumbledore.

But before she could have gone to him, the cheerful voice of her mother rang out.

"I think, we can return home now," Molly said and looked at her family with shining eyes.

Ginny wanted to say goodbye to Harry, but her parents and brothers didn't leave her a chance to do so and suddenly seemed to be in a hurry. She just managed to cast a last glance at Harry, who didn't even look in her direction. Then Bill seized her arm and apparated away with her.

One moment later Ginny found herself in Hogsmeade. After her parents and all her other brothers had arrived, too, they set off to the castle and Ginny learned from the twins that her family had stayed in Hogwarts the previous night due to safety reasons.

"And Hermione is also there," Fred said.

"Hermione?" Ginny asked and looked at her brother, surprised.

"Yes. Apparently she didn't stand it to be separated from Ron," he replied with a twinkle in his eye and Ginny had to smile, though she suspected that this wasn't the only reason.

As they had reached the provisional quarters of the Weasleys, Ron stormed towards Ginny and welcomed her rapturously. Ginny laughed and clung to her youngest brother. Ron had barely let go of her, when she was already embraced by Hermione.

In the meantime Ron looked at them impatiently.

"Come on, tell us!"

Since the Weasleys told Hermione and Ron what had taken place in the former headquarter of the Dark Lord, it took a bit longer to pack everything, but finally all things were stowed away and the Weasleys and Hermione could leave Hogwarts and return to the Burrow.

Not even half an hour later Molly Weasley served her family a little feast. Charlie was the first who recovered from this unexpected sight.

"Wow, Mum, how on earth did you accomplish this?"

Molly smiled.

"As it occurred to me that we had no food in the house, I've asked the house-elves in Hogwarts whether they could not give us something. As you see they were more than generous. I thought that you would be hungry. At breakfast you ate next to nothing, after all."

"Hungry? We're starved," the twins said and grinned.

The following minutes passed in silence. Not before the Weasleys had stilled their first hunger, slowly a conversation came up. Soon Molly was listing all the things they would do this summer and the other family members, too, began making plans enthusiastically.

While her family and even Hermione were obviously in the best mood, Ginny felt somehow quite out of place. She knew that it was absurd, knew that she hadn't a cause.

She was home again. The war was over. Her family had survived; no-one of them had been hurt today. And she also had got away with only a few bruises thanks to Harry's spell. Even Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks had been rescued in time. She should brim over with happiness that they had won and that her parents and brothers would not need to risk their life each day anymore. But she didn't.

Thoughtfully she nipped at her pumpkin juice. It was not so that she was not glad and relieved, yet she didn't feel like celebrating.

How strange it was that no one mentioned the battle. They behaved as if the war had never occurred, as if the last days had never happened.

Yet the present day had also claimed victims. Ginny knew that the Order had lost only a few members, but that was no reason to just forget the wizards and witches who had given their lives today.

Suddenly Ginny could not bear it any longer. She put her glass on the table, said that she was tired and would lie down for a while and after she had given her parents a kiss, she hurried up the narrow staircase. Her room seemed strange to her. Baffled she leaned against the door. Though it had been months ago, that she had been here for the last time, she never before had felt such a feeling when she had returned home after a longer absence.

Perhaps just too much had happened in the last week, she thought and could not believe that she had been sitting in the Hogwarts train only a few days ago. The time, before, appeared not to belong to her anymore as if she had left those years definitely behind her.

She stepped to the window and opened it. As her gaze fell on the green silk sleeve of the robe Harry had given to her, she realized at last why she was so restless. She was worried about Harry. Still she saw his merciless expression in his eyes as he had fought; still she felt his blazing hot face that pressed against hers.

And she neither knew where he currently was nor what had transpired between him and Voldemort. Neither did she know what had happened in Lily Potter's rose garden.

After Bill had sent her into the rose garden to fetch Harry and James Potter, they had silently returned to the castle and then had gone to Harry's chambers. Bill and the twins had insisted on coming along and in the presence of her brothers she had of course not wanted to ask Harry any questions and on their way back Ginny had had her hands full to distract her father, who evidently had been more than angry at Harry for having cursed him and daring to take his daughter along to the battle.

Solely the fact that nothing had happened to her had probably kept him from doing something drastic. As Ginny thought of this and remembered how her family had downright prevented her from saying goodbye to Harry, she frowned. It seemed almost to her that her family had done it on purpose.

Bill's remark as he had dragged her away from Harry during the fight came to her mind and all of a sudden she was certain that Bill had meant Harry with his words.

With a sigh she sat down on her bed. Yawning, she curled up on her colourful blanket, amazed that she really was tired. Blaming the previous night for her exhaustion, she closed her eyes. But instead of falling asleep, she thought of Harry and wondered when she would see him again. He would surely not stay in the Castle of Death, but would most likely move in with his father.

Hopefully Harry and James would get along well. She wished with all her heart that Harry would find a home in Godric's Hollow.

Would Harry visit her? Or write a letter to her? Remembering how Harry had just left her side in the Great Hall, doubts assailed her. She opened her eyes and snuggled up tighter in her blanket. Suddenly she was cold.

Did Harry even love her at all? What if he had only seen a means to an end in her? What if he had only needed her to convince the Order of his intentions?

But no, that were foolish thoughts. Angry at herself she fluffed up her pillow and resolved to write Harry a letter tomorrow.

Now she didn't want to think anymore, she was too tired for it. In addition she had a headache. Her thoughts, however, had a mind of their own and wandered back to Harry.

_I love you, Harry, _she thought, just before she finally drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Dusk was already falling as Harry stood in the garden of Godric's Hollow and regarded the little house that would be his home from now an. That his mother had lived here once was a comforting thought and confirmed him in his belief that he had made the right decision. If he had had the time to think about his future, he surely would not have been surprised as his father had told him that he took it for granted that he would live in Godric's Hollow.

So, however, James' words had hit him completely unprepared and thus he also hadn't known how to react. Of course, his father had taken his silence as consent.

But he hadn't had a choice, anyway, had he? Where else should he have gone to? And in the castle he absolutely hadn't wanted to stay.

With an imperceptible sigh Harry turned away and sauntered towards the bench. Well, he would wait how things would develop. Godric's Hollow was no prison, after all. He would be able to leave it at any time. But it was worth a try and so he would stay for the present.

Harry sat down on the bench and looked at the magnificent red roses. Lost in thought he gazed at them. At last he had avenged the death of his mother and yet he still felt no triumph, no satisfaction. Instead, long forgotten memories urged to the surface. He recalled how happy he had been when the Dark Lord had given him his first wand, remembered how eagerly he had learned the spells Lucius Malfoy had taught him and how proud he had been as he had performed one spell and Bella had loudly applauded. And now they were dead. He had killed them.

Abruptly Harry leaped up, marched through the garden and furiously ran a hand across his forehead. He didn't want to remember, didn't want to think back to his childhood.

Involuntarily he yearned for Ginny, wished to hold her in his arms. If she only would be here with him now...

How much she had helped him and he hadn't even thanked her nor had he been able to say goodbye to her. As he had noticed that Ginny and her family had left the castle it had been already too late.

Harry looked up to the setting sun, whispered her name and stopped dead in his tracks. That he loved her he also hadn't told her. Yes, he loved her and still he was as astonished as he had been this morning when she had confessed her love for him and he had realized all of a sudden that he loved her as well.

Warmth enveloped him and he smiled. The mere thought of her drove away the coldness and the memories. She would not betray him, he thought, went towards the bench and sat down again. As soon as possible he would visit Ginny. His father surely knew where she lived.

And whatever the future might bring, one chapter of his life was closed. The heir of the Dark Lord didn't exist anymore. Never again would he use dark magic. Recalling how he had lost himself in his magic, he shuddered. Still he was deeply frightened how the control over his magic had slipped away from him. Never before had something similar happened to him.

If the vase had not broken, if Ginny had not suddenly stood in front of him and shouted his name, he didn't want to imagine what would have happened then. No, he admonished himself sternly, he would not think about that. It was over. And it would never happen again.

Harry leaned back and riveted his attention on the sunset. As he shifted a bit to the right to have better view, his arm brushed against the object in his pocket and he remembered the little book that he had found in the rose garden of his mother. He fetched it out and regarded it. Curiously he opened it. On the first page a name stood, in faded writing:

_Patricia Avenquay _

Deciding to ask his father later who that had been, he leafed through the pages. The book contained spells, as he noticed. He had approximately come to the middle, when his eye fell on a dried rose which was lying between two pages. He picked it up and gazed down on the black lines.

Shortly afterwards he laid the fragile rose cautiously back and stared at it, paralyzed.

"Harry?"

Not before his father said his name for the second time, Harry looked up. James sat down beside him and pointed to the small book.

"It belonged to my mother. Her family descended from Salazar Slytherin, at least this was said. My mother, however, always laughed about this. She never believed that the book belonged to Slytherin once, although there is a snake on the cover. But I believe the rumours are true. After my marriage, she gave the book to Lily."

When Harry didn't reply anything and merely gazed at his hands, James gave his son a searching look.

"What's wrong, Harry?"

Harry hesitated, but then he wordlessly handed James the open book. James took it and begun to read. As he realized what was written there and grasped the meaning of the words, he closed his eyes. Grief-stricken he remained so, while clutching the booklet so hard that it hurt. Now he knew why Harry had survived Voldemort's Killing Curse. With the spell he just had read Lily had saved Harry's life and in return had given her own.

Only when he heard Harry's broken voice, he opened his eyes again.

"I killed her. It wasn't Voldemort, but me. It was me and I killed him for that!"

Harry started to laugh and James didn't think much. He seized Harry's shoulders and turned him around to him.

"Harry! I loved Lily more than my life and she was my wife. I knew her, like you never have. So you will listen to me now very closely: Since this disastrous war has started, Lily fought for peace. She joined the Order and did everything in her power to defeat Voldemort and his followers.

Regardless of any danger, she would have rather risked her life than to sit at home and doing nothing at all while around her the world was going to collapse. Lily was a brave, strong-willed woman, Harry, who wanted to prevent you from becoming a dark wizard and following Voldemort at all costs. And believe me, nothing would have kept her from doing so."

James stopped and looked at Harry emphatically.

"It was not your fault, Harry. Voldemort would have killed her anyway, if you hadn't thrown yourself in between.

I know how it is to be crushed by feelings of guilt. Lily was my wife. Instead of giving up, I should have tried to attack Voldemort's castle, I should have found a way for Heaven's sake to rescue her and you. I didn't however. And as much as it hurts me to say it, but perhaps everything was supposed to happen just like it did in the end. Who knows, if we had indeed tried to attack the castle earlier, perhaps all of us would have been killed.

Be that as it may, one thing is certain: Lily would not have wanted it that we both reproach ourselves. She would have wanted us to be happy, Harry. As she realized that her spell had functioned and you survived Voldemort's Killing Curse, she was radiant with joy. She was happy, Harry. _You_ made her happy. Never forget this."

Harry looked at him and finally nodded. And as James drew him close and Harry tiredly leaned his head on his shoulder, there James knew that one day he would love his son.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14 **

Remus straightened and unbelievingly stared at Sirius.

"You hid yourselves in small boxes?"

Sirius nodded, laughing.

"Yes, whether you believe it or not, it's the truth. Though it was pretty uncomfortable, Harry meant that it would be the safest way. Portkeys would have been too much work and apart from this then the wards would have sound the alarm. This was also the reason why we couldn't just march into the castle, even if we would have made ourselves invisible. Don't ask me how, but Harry used some spell which enabled us – being locked in the boxes – to pass the wards, too. Anyway, as soon as Harry, Ginny Weasley and Snape were in the castle, they freed us and we could conquer Voldemort's headquarters without any difficulty. Our surprise attack was a complete success."

While Sirius carried on with telling him everything, Remus leaned back into his pillows and shook his head. Exhausted as he was, he found it hard to grasp the incredible events that had ended the years of war the previous day. That the Dark Side had been defeated and he was still alive, seemed to him like a miracle that he could hardly fathom.

He glanced to the window, looked out into the garden of Godric's Hollow and knew that he was truly at home. He was in his room, lay in his bed and he was safe. And yet the pain he felt whenever he moved led him to believe something else. Involuntarily his breath quickened and he swallowed deeply, fought against his memories with all his might. His eyes darted through the room, recognized the familiar things. Concentrating on Sirius' voice, he made an effort to listen to his friend who just was telling him with an amused undertone that James had really managed to have his wand taken away by a Death Eater and that he owed it only to Alice Longbottom that nothing had happened to him.

Time, Remus thought, yes, it would take some time until he recovered from his captivity. The healer in St. Mungo's, who had seen to his injuries, had told him this, too. Gradually Remus calmed down again, glad that he was at home. It had been luck that the hospital had been overworked and that his condition had permitted him to be brought to Godric's Hollow. He would have stayed there only grudgingly. Here, in his familiar surroundings and with his family he would regain his strength faster.

The thought of Sirius, Peter and James caused him to frown. To discover that James had a son who had been the heir of the Dark Lord in addition and that it had been Peter who had betrayed Lily then had been an awful shock to him. And it still was.

Torn between white-hot fury and his mourning for Lily, he felt how the occurrences of the last days threatened to overwhelm him. So much had happened that he had to digest first.

"Sirius," he said quietly.

"For the time being it's enough. Everything else you can tell me later."

Then he threw the blanket aside and looked at Sirius, pleadingly.

"Would you help me to the bathroom?"

* * *

James put a hand on the door handle and paused, hesitated. After having taken a deep breath, he finally pulled himself together, opened the door and stepped over the threshold. The stale air caused him to cough. Walking swiftly to the window, he tore it open. Only after a while he turned around once more and regarded the big room, which he hadn't entered anymore since Lily's disappearance. For all these years their bedroom had been locked and even the house-elves he had forbidden to clean up here. He, however, had moved to one of the guest rooms. To stay in this room that had been inextricably linked with Lily from the beginning, he just hadn't been able to bear. Everything in here reminded him of Lily. It had been her who had furnished the once gloomy chamber and thus had transformed it into a bright, cheerful room.

With a quiet sigh James looked over to the chest of drawers. Lily's things still were lying in place, unchangingly. His eyes wandered over the little jewellery box, the mirror whose frame was elaborately decorated with ivory roses and the book that she had been reading at that time. If not for the several layers of dust, he could perhaps have deceived himself for a merciful moment, but so he was relentlessly confronted with the truth.

James turned away and fastened his eyes on a photograph of Lily that hung on the wall. It had been one of those fortunate coincidences, James remembered. One evening in summer Lily had run straight towards him with her hair blowing in the wind and shining eyes to throw herself into his arms, unaware that Sirius had stood on the terrace with a camera. It was one of those rare pictures that virtually lived. A picture of his Lily, brimming over with happiness and love, recorded for all eternity.

Tentatively returning Lily's smile, James took a step towards the picture.

"We've won the war, Lily. Together with Harry we've managed it. While we were fighting with the Death Eaters, Harry killed Voldemort. It's over, Lily. The war is finally over. Harry is now living in my old children's room. I will take care of him, Lily, this I promise you. He will lack for nothing. And I will help him to cope with his past. Yesterday he found the little book my mother gave to you and discovered the incantation. I tried to make him realize that it wasn't his fault, but I don't know whether I succeeded. I told him that you would have wanted him to be happy. Yes, I know, I as well. And one day we will be it, Lily. Thanks to you, we will be it."

James reached out an arm and lightly stroked over Lily's cheek.

"And yet I long for you to be here with us with all my heart. Oh, Lily, if only the war would have never happened, if only Voldemort would have never seen you. How happy we could have become, you, I and Harry. If..."

As he heard approaching steps, James' voice trailed off. Soon afterwards Sirius and Remus stood in the doorway and looked at him amazed. James went to them and stepped to Remus, who was supported by Sirius and eyed his friend worriedly.

"How are you?"

"Better," Remus said, peeked past him into the bedroom and then looked at him again.

But before Remus or Sirius could have said anything, he quickly asked,

"Do you know where Harry is?"

He had hardly finished speaking, when he felt a tremor.

"The wards! We are being attacked!" James shouted and raced to the staircase, closely followed by Sirius.

James stormed out into the garden and cursed as his eye fell on the black masked wizards who had assembled on the other side of the garden wall. It was obvious that the followers of the Dark Lord had come to take revenge on Harry. But how on earth had they known that Harry would be here? Pointing his wand on the attackers, he recalled the previous day. Was it possible that one of the prisoners had somehow eavesdropped on their conversations or had seen him together with Harry and had drawn the right conclusion? A second later he shook his head. A prisoner could not have been it. He would not have had a chance to pass the message along to his comrades. Someone who had escaped unnoticed?

Well, how they had known it really didn't play a role in the moment, James thought. Now they were here and that was the decisive factor.

They were many and that worried him. Susceptible to an incessant attack, the wards would not hold long. And though no curse could get inside, whereas they could send curses out, James knew that it would be difficult. They were only three, not counting Remus, who was still too weak to help them.

"Get out of my way!"

Surprised, James whirled around as he heard Harry's voice, but he did as he had been told. Sirius and Remus, who had reached the garden as well in the meantime, stepped aside, too. Harry stopped and raised one hand. An instant later a wave of silvery light shoot towards the trespassers. And stunned, James watched how a great part of the attackers sank to the ground. Another wave of the silvery light persuaded the remaining Death Eaters to disappear as fast as possible.

Slowly James lowered his wand and looked to Harry, not knowing whether to be appalled or relieved.

* * *

It was late in the afternoon as Ginny walked through the little garden and stared at the sky at regular intervals and looked out for Harry's phoenix. She knew that her parents worried about her, but how should she have explained to them that she missed Harry and doubted his love towards her? She had written a letter to him early in the morning and ever since she had been waiting for his answer. She just had to know whether he was doing well. _Why didn't he write back to her? _

Stopping herself from thinking about possible reasons with difficulty, she quickened her pace. She almost wished that Luna would be still here to distract her. Even if she had been tremendously happy to see her friend again, who had visited her briefly a short while ago, a part of her thoughts had yet been with Harry.

As Ginny approached the house, she heard loud voices. She cast a fleeting glance at Ron's open window and went on. Still she could not comprehend that she had only realized the previous evening that Ron and Hermione had fallen out with each other and Hermione's cheerfulness had been merely put on in the main. And knowing her brother who could sometimes display an incredible stubbornness it would take a while before he would see that Hermione had done the one right thing as she had taken his wand away and forced him to stay in Hogwarts when he had indeed intended to set off to the Dark Lord's headquarters yesterday.

But, of course, Ron didn't want to admit that, nor did he want to hear that he would not have been able to achieve anything at all, anyway. Even if he had reached Voldemort's fortress, he wouldn't have been able to come through the wards. He would have only risked his life. Ginny knew that several Death Eaters had managed to escape and against the followers of the Dark Lord Ron certainly would not have had any chance.

Sighing, Ginny shook her head and wondered whether she should try to speak with Ron. Perhaps she could make it clear to him that Hermione had only done it because she loved him and that he was definitely wrong.

"Ginny!"

Although she recognized Bill's voice, she violently started. The happenings of the last days must have shaken her more than she wanted to believe. Bill came towards her and seized her arm.

"Ouch, Bill, let go of me. Every bone in my body is aching."

"From your fall?"

Ginny nodded and looked at her brother, concerned.

"Did anything happen?"

"No. I shall only fetch you indoors."

"Why? It isn't getting dark yet," she asked bewildered.

"Mum is worried about you", Bill replied gruffly and pointed with his head in the direction of the house.

There Molly Weasley was already busy with preparing supper. As Ginny and Bill entered the kitchen, Molly gave Ginny a kiss, heaped numerous suggestions upon her what they could do over the course of the summer and wanted to hear her opinion of that. That Ginny answered rather monosyllabically, appeared not to bother Molly. Ginny looked at her mother and had more and more the feeling that something wasn't right.

At supper she was certain of it. For some reason which wasn't apparent for Ginny her entire family seemed to be tense. When she asked, however, what had happened, she only got to hear that nothing had occurred at all and that everything was fine. But why then had Bill, Charlie and the twins put their wands on the table? Why did they look over to the window again and again?

That Hermione, too, avoided her gaze, led her to suspect that she was right about her hunch. Annoyed over the secretiveness she quickly finished her tea, feigned tiredness for the second time and shortly afterwards went upstairs. She had hardly stepped over the threshold of her room, as a hand was pressed against her mouth and someone was holding her tightly. Frantically she tried to struggle, but it was in vain.

"Ginny. It's me, Harry," a voice whispered.

Harry loosened his grip and turned her around to him.

"I'm sorry, if I scared you."

Ginny nodded. She wasn't capable of doing anything more and while she gradually calmed down, Harry locked the door and drew her towards the window.

"We have to be quiet. I was here a short time ago and wanted to visit you, but your family sent me away."

"_They did what?" _

"They have forbidden me to come back here ever again. I had to sneak into the house through the terrace door", Harry said and smiled mischievously.

"Don't be angry, Gin. They are only anxious about you."

"They had no right to do that!" Ginny said and could not believe it. Now she knew why her parents and brothers had behaved so strangely, yet she could not understand it. How could they dare to treat Harry so? After all he had done for her and her father?

"They love you. Isn't it then the most natural thing in the world that they want to protect you?" Harry asked and put an arm around her waist.

The tenderness in his voice made Ginny forget her anger and hold her breath. And before she knew what he intended, she already felt his lips on hers. So she did mean something to him, she thought overjoyed and returned his kiss.

One moment later Harry let go of her abruptly. Ginny looked at him inquiringly, but then she also heard how the handle was pressed down. As the door didn't open, someone loudly knocked. While Harry flung open the window and softly whistled, Hermione called her name.

"Harry, what…"

"I'll come back as soon as possible. Good night, Ginny."

He stroked her lightly over the cheek and swung himself out of the window.

"Harry!"

She still tried to hold on to him, but she didn't succeed. The sound of flapping wings and the sight of Harry who calmly flew away on his phoenix caused her to stifle a curse. Some day she would pay him back for this, she swore to herself. First he scared her out of her wits and now this! Could he not have told her at least that his phoenix had been waiting for him?

Furious at him as well as at Hermione and her entire family, she stamped to the door. She turned the key, opened the door and looked into Hermione's worried face.

"Ginny! Is everything all right?"

"Sure, what should be wrong?" she replied coldly and added quickly,

"Sorry, that I locked the door, Hermione. I just wanted to be alone for a bit."

Hopefully her voice had not sounded as angry as she felt, Ginny thought, stepped back and sat down on her bed. After all, it wasn't Hermione's fault. She could not have known it.

"Don't you dare think that I wanted to lock you out," she said and forced herself to smile.

But Hermione didn't respond to her remark. Instead she sat down next to her and regarded her gravely.

"You know that I'm always there for you, if you want to talk, don't you? If you need someone..."

"I know, Hermione", Ginny interrupted her friend.

Calmer she said,

"I know. And perhaps I will tell you one day, but not now. I…please, understand it, Hermione. It's over and I do not want to remember it. Nothing bad has happened to me and this is the most important thing, isn't it?"

Hermione looked at her and hesitated, but to Ginny's relief she finally nodded, reached out her arms and embraced her.

"Yes, it is. And I can't tell you how happy I'm about that. But please don't forget it. You can come to me at any time."

Ginny smiled and hugged Hermione.

"Thank you, Hermione. And I definitely won't forget it. Promised."

As they let go of each other, Hermione asked,

"Do you want me to stay?"

"If I want…? But of course, Hermione. Why…"

Realizing that she had taken Hermione's question the wrong way, she broke off.

"So you still haven't made it up with each other?"

"He doesn't talk with me."

"That's so typical of Ron", Ginny said and shook her head.

"But don't worry, Hermione. In one week at the latest he will beg your pardon on his bended knees. Believe me, I know my brother."

A fleeting smile flitted across Hermione's face.

"Let's hope so."

Then she looked at Ginny with wide sad eyes.

"I couldn't let him go, Ginny. I just couldn't do it."

"I know. It was the right thing to do. If I had been in your position I would have done the same. And Ron will understand it, too. Sometimes he simply needs a while before he realizes certain things", Ginny said and jumped up.

"Come, I'll help you packing."

Hermione stood up and glanced at her indecisively.

"If you want, I will still stay for a while."

Ginny looked at her friend full of affection.

"That's very kind of you. But I know that you want to go home and besides I can visit you, can't I, Hermione?"

But only after she had promised Hermione to write immediately a letter to her if anything should be or she needed someone to talk to, Hermione walked to her bag. Shortly afterwards Ginny accompanied Hermione into the living room, where Hermione said goodbye to the Weasleys, apart from Ron, who had hid himself in his room.

Then she stepped into the fireplace and reached for the Floo powder. As Hermione had been engulfed in the green flames, Ginny went upstairs again. She considered briefly to give Ron a tongue-lashing, but decided to wait a few days. She knew her brother well enough to know that it would be pointless for the time being. Back in her room Ginny closed the window, leaned against the wall and looked thoughtfully up to the clouds.

* * *

As Ginny came into the kitchen the next morning, her family was already all present. The moment her family noticed her presence, the newspaper was quickly folded together and deliberately casually laid aside. Her family could not have made it more obvious, Ginny thought. But she would find out what the newspaper said. Before, however, she had a bone to pick with her family. She sat on her chair and reached for the teapot. She poured herself a cup of tea and took a few sips. Then she put her cup down and looked at her family.

"Why did you forbid Harry to see me?"

While her parents exchanged glances, Bill asked with furrowed brow,

"How do you know this?"

"Because Harry told me, he was in my room yesterday."

Her answer was followed by stunned silence.

"But…but how did he get through the wards?"

Bill bestowed a dark look upon Charlie.

"Did you forget who he is?"

Meanwhile her mother had laid a hand on her arm and surveyed her worriedly.

"Did he do anything to you?"

"No! Of course not. Harry would never hurt me. He has saved me, Mum. And I love him."

Arthur Weasley drew in a sharp breath and leaned forwards.

"Ginny. You've suffered a terrible shock. You do not know what you say. It…"

"But my mind I didn't lose yet", Ginny interrupted her father and although she was angry, her voice remained calm.

"And besides, you're mistaken. It only would have been a terrible shock if Harry hadn't helped me. I've seen what the Death Eaters did to Katie, Cho and little Anne. The same would have happened to me, had Harry not rescued me from the dungeons."

Her words hit the mark. But Bill asked back,

"Do you really want to tell us that he actually did nothing to you? That we shall believe you? Snape told us that he hit you."

Involuntarily Ginny's hand flew to her cheek.

"That wasn't Harry, but the one who abducted me. And what happened between Harry and me is none of your business," Ginny said and withheld that Harry had also hit her one time, but this had been justified after all.

"It's none of our business?" her father asked and stared at her, unbelievingly.

"You are our daughter! Do you know how worried we were about you?"

Feeling guilty Ginny looked down at her plate. How on earth should she explain her relationship with Harry to her family? But then she realized that she didn't want to. How should her parents and brothers understand what Harry had done for her? The first two nights she might hadn't have a choice, nevertheless Harry had at least made an effort not to hurt her more than necessary. And was it a miracle that Harry had behaved in such a way if you considered which tragedy he had witnessed as a little child?

What had happened in the first two nights didn't play a role for her anymore. She had forgiven Harry. But her family would surely not understand it. Yes, she herself could not explain how it could have happened. She only knew one thing: that she loved and trusted Harry. He had given hope back to her as she had believed everything lost. And she was certain: Harry loved her as well.

Thinking of Harry's words, Ginny glanced at her family and softly said,

"I know and I'm sorry. I also believed I would never see you again. But I'm only here because of Harry. Only because of Harry the war is over. Dad, he saved your life. He saved me. We owe him much."

Her father returned her look gravely and nodded slightly.

"Yes, we do and I wished it were not so. He's a dark wizard, Ginny. He's dangerous. What he did to the Dark Lord and some of his followers…he wasn't content with killing them, Ginny, he downright destroyed them. All what has remained of them is a pile of ash."

Ginny swallowed hard. Suddenly she saw herself standing in the hall, watching how the Death Eaters burned out in a dark fire. She remembered Harry's chilling eyes, the merciless glint in them, seconds before he had recognized her.

Yes, she had seen what he was capable of. But she also knew his other side.

"He hated them", she said.

"They have taken his mother from him. And do not forget that he grew up on the Dark Side. But that doesn't mean that he's dangerous. If he were it, he would have killed you and would have abducted me."

Ginny looked at her parents imploringly.

"_We love each other._ Please, believe me, Harry would never harm me. I know him. Please, don't forbid me to see Harry."

Her father sighed deeply, reached out and put his hand on hers.

"We do not want that something happens to you, Ginny. And perhaps you should read today's newspaper."

"Nothing will happen to me," Ginny said determined and took the newspaper that her Dad handed her.

With an uneasy feeling she glanced at the first page and began to read.

In the meantime Molly Weasley regarded her daughter and felt a painful twinge. She didn't fail to notice that Ginny had changed. Before her abduction Ginny would have never stayed so calm during an argument, let alone it would never have occurred to her to inquire as to the reason once she had flown into a rage. She would have screamed, jumped up from the table and run out of the kitchen. Now, however, she seemed to save her anger for really important matters.

A strange mixture of regret and pride seized her as her eyes rested on the young woman who had taken the place of the little girl that she had seen in Ginny still a few months ago; her daughter who could have miserably perished in the Dark Lord's dungeons if it hadn't been for Harry Potter. She owed it to him that Ginny as well as Arthur were still alive and she had her daughter and husband back. The gratitude she felt to the young wizard she could not put into words so happy was she.

And yet the thought of a love relationship between him and Ginny filled her with anxiety.

* * *

There were times, when Albus Dumbledore could not help regretting that the owner of the Daily Prophet and his few employees which had been left to him had indeed managed not only to keep their hiding place a secret from Voldemort, but also to deliver their newspaper more or less regularly. Frowning Albus read the newspaper article a second time, then leaned back in his chair and stared at the big headline that warned against the young Lord in no uncertain terms. Even Harry's true identity the Daily Prophet had already found out. Some Order member had probably not been able to keep his mouth shut, Albus thought resignedly.

If his worry hadn't outweighed by far, he surely would have been angry, but so he tried to assess how much damage the article that dismissed Harry's ancestry as negligibility and described Harry as a dark wizard who intended to become the next Dark Lord would cause. His past and the reason why he had hated Voldemort weren't mentioned at all, but instead yesterday's attack on Godric's Hollow was discussed in detail.

Well, one thing was certain. In consideration of the fact that Harry had killed a large part of the attackers, it would become a great deal more difficult to keep the former Aurors and members of the Ministry from arresting Harry.

But exactly this he could not allow to happen under any circumstances. Since this _would _lead into catastrophe. Harry would never surrender himself to them voluntarily and this meant that it would come to a fight that would inevitably divide the Order of the Phoenix. James, Sirius and Remus would definitely stand by Harry and so would most likely the parents of the saved students. Apart from his conviction to owe it to Harry and James, this was the weightiest reason why he had to prevent an arrest of Harry by all means.

And it was up to him to get the Order to understand that.

Though he had to admit that the concern Harry could follow in Voldemort's footsteps was not wholly pure invention, it was unwarranted in his opinion. At least, if they gave Harry a chance to begin a new life.

Thoughtfully Albus leaned forwards, intertwined his fingers and propped up his chin on his hands. And if Harry would not cause him enough worry, he had to agitate over Severus' fate as well. Once more he asked himself just what Severus had been thinking to free Narcissa Malfoy and to bring her to a place that was only known to him and whose location he steadfastly refused to tell.

At any rate the Order assembly that would be held in the afternoon promised to become very interesting, Albus thought cynically and briefly closed his eyes. He didn't believe that they would get around to discussing the formation of a new Ministry already today and yet it was just this that should have the highest priority. Only the Ministry would be capable of putting things on an orderly basis and above all of restoring public order.

As Albus pondered how much there was still to do, he sighed quietly, but at least he would no longer have to make decisions that tore his heart apart. For now he would not be forced to send anyone into battle or risk the lives of his Order members. For this he had to be infinitely grateful. But Albus knew that it would still take a while before he would finally realize that the war was over and that Voldemort had been defeated. The war had lasted too long and had left too many scars to just be able to erase it from memory.

Involuntarily his eyes wandered to the photo album of the Order. One moment later he stood up and fetched it out of the bookshelf. He sat down at his desk again, opened the album and slowly turned over the pages. As he looked at the faces of the witches and wizards, who had fought with him against Voldemort and his followers, deep sadness rose in him. So many had senselessly lost their lives – and for what?

Lily Potter's picture caused him to pause. How long he regarded it he didn't know, but it was the memory of Lily that jolted him out of his dejection. She had never been afraid of giving him a piece of her mind and would she see him now she probably would have only shaken her head about him and asked why he didn't celebrate the end of the war.

Almost it seemed to him that he could hear her voice that told him to look into the future and not back. He returned Lily's smile and nodded, suddenly realizing that neither Lily's sacrifice nor that of the other Order members had been in vain. Since without them there would never have been a victory. To Lily, however, they were especially indebted. It had been her courage and her love that had led to the downfall of the Dark Side in the end.

Yes, Albus thought and straightened. They would never forget how much they owed Lily and all the others who had given their life. He would make sure of that. And though he would mourn for them, he would not forget the living over it. What had happened had happened. The past could not be changed anymore. That he had to accept as hard as he found it. Concerning his feelings of guilt, it might well be that a large part of them was irrational, but one part was justified.

But if he was wise, he would learn from his mistakes; for the future was not yet written in stone and thus he would be able to influence it. Determined Albus nodded and fixed his gaze on a certain point on the opposite wall. Never again would he thoughtlessly sacrifice a single person for the survival of others. Though it was occasionally a bitter necessity in time of war, he knew that he had had the choice to reach another decision a few times during the war, if he hadn't clung so much to his convictions.

And perhaps there was a possibility to ensure that such a war would never happen again. The Order of the Phoenix as a guardian of peace, he mused. Yes, perhaps this would be the solution. At any rate he would think about it. But before, he would devote all his energies to giving the world its order back. Seized with a new thirst for action he put the album again in the shelf and picked up the newspaper.

Remembering how Ginny Weasley had run towards Harry during the battle and Harry had drawn her into his arms, Albus felt confident that Harry Potter didn't intend to become the next Dark Lord.

* * *

As Ginny and Harry reached the former headquarters of the Dark Lord, Ginny moved closer to Harry and clung to his arm. Seeing the fortress again after their victory caused conflicting feelings to rise in her. Even if she quickly succeeded in suppressing the memory of her stay in the dungeons, she was nevertheless glad about Harry's suggestion to have a walk in the park first, before going to his old chambers to fetch some of his things.

While they were slowly sauntering one of the narrow pathways along, Ginny told Harry about her visit to St. Mungo's. She had been there together with Bill yesterday afternoon and had searched for the two little Muggle children. She just hadn't been able to stop thinking about their fate.

"Their parents didn't survive," she said sadly.

"I'm currently trying to convince my parents to adopt them if they don't have any relatives anymore," she added, looked up to the trees and made an effort not to contemplate whether there really hadn't been a way to save the Muggle family.

Harry squeezed her hand silently and asked an instant later,

"Do you know how Anne and the other girls are?"

"No. I haven't heard anything from them, but I'll write to them soon. One thing is for certain, however: they will not forget it."

"We all will not forget it", Harry said quietly and stopped.

Ginny followed his gaze and realized that they were standing in the vicinity of Lily Potter's rose garden.

"Shall we go in?"

Harry shook his head.

"Let's go to the lake."

Ginny nodded and cast a sidelong glance at Harry. This time it was her who squeezed his hand, and as she brought her steps in line with his, her thoughts suddenly wandered to her parents who had only grudgingly consented to her meeting with Harry today. Since yesterday's newspaper article had shaken her and had merely increased her worry about Harry and had not, how her father had hoped, changed her opinion of Harry, the discussion had of course continued. Her Dad had even asked her if she truly loved Harry or if she had only made herself believe that because he had saved her and thought to owe him something.

Ginny had been so furious over it that she still didn't know how she had managed to keep herself from yelling at her parents and to explain to them with gritted teeth that this _wasn't _true and that she was completely sure of her feelings. In the end her parents had given in to Ginny's relief, but the thought that she was causing her family distress with her decision for Harry pained her. And the knowledge that her parents only wanted to protect her certainly did not make the situation any better.

"What are you thinking about?"

So abruptly jolted out of her thoughts, Ginny said the first thing that occurred to her,

"Oh, I had to think of the newspaper article that was in the Daily Prophet yesterday."

As it turned out Harry had read the article as well. He laughed softly and put an arm around her shoulders.

"Don't worry about this, Ginny. I bet they will not dare to arrest me."

"And if they do?"

"Then the whole world is open to me. They would never find me", Harry said and seemed not to be concerned in the slightest.

"But I don't think that it will come to that. Come; let's sit down on the shore."

As they had found a shadowy place, Harry riveted his gaze on the lake and without transition began to tell her what had happened the previous days. He told her of his fight with Voldemort, of the little book he had found in his mother's rose garden and of the conversation he had led with his father.

"I know that Dad is right. If I hadn't thrown myself between, the first curse would have hit her and yet…"

"…are you blaming yourself", Ginny concluded his thought and laid a hand on Harry's arm.

"But it wasn't _your _fault, Harry. It was Voldemort's. It was _him_ who started the war and abducted your mother."

As Harry slowly turned to her and looked at her, she said roughly,

"And for this he has paid. For everything he ever did."

With a more gentle voice, she added,

"It's over, Harry. You've defeated him. It's over."

Harry shook his head and lifted her chin up.

"I did not do it alone, Ginny. You forget which contribution my mother and you made to our victory. Without you the Dark Side would never have been defeated."

Harry stroked her tenderly over her cheek.

"You fetched me out of my indifference, Ginny. You've saved me as I lost myself in my magic."

A shudder run through his body and he averted his gaze.

"Do you know that I swore myself to never use Dark Magic again after the fight with Voldemort?"

He looked at her and said with a bitter undertone,

"Not even one day later I broke my oath. But when Godric's Hollow was attacked, I…I just reacted, Ginny. That I used Dark Magic I didn't realize at all! Only later I became aware of it. But…"

A sudden smile brightened Harry's face.

"…I think I have found a way how I can prevent me from losing myself in my magic. It helps me to think of you, Ginny, of you and your love."

He took her hand and their fingers intertwined.

"I love you, Ginny," he whispered.

"You are my light in the darkness."

Ginny stared into his emerald eyes and as Harry bent down to her and kissed her, she flung her arms around him. Yes, she thought blissfully happy.

_He loved her. _

But the other way round it was the same. While she was his light in the darkness, Harry was hers and Ginny knew: however the future would look like as long as they loved each other they would survive everything.

* * *

**A/N:** And with this chapter the story is finally finished. Many thanks to those who took the time to leave me a review! Though, of course I would still be happy about further opinions and reviews.

And who liked the story and wants to read more, following stories play in the same universe:

The prequels: 

"Light in the Darkness"

"Even in the Darkest Night"

The sequel: 

"Silent Tears"


End file.
